The Life I Live
by I-Dont-Like-I-Obsess
Summary: "They say 'Once bitten, twice shy' right? Well, I just can't seem to learn." Summer, haunted by her traumatic past, sets out determined to seek her revenge. Finding comrades in the most surprising of places, Summer has no idea she's in for the adventure of her life. After years of fending for herself, will she learn to trust? After all, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.'
1. The Devil You Know

A/N- Hey guys! My first attempt at writing fanfiction, so please let me know how I'm doing! Be honest! won't get better unless I get real feedback. Anyway, this story is rated M for violence, language, and some adult themes. Enough of my rambling, enjoy!

_'Character Thoughts'_ are in italics.

* * *

_*Three Years Previous*_

Summer awoke to the smell of smoke. Her eyes opened to the red glow of fire outside the window. It illuminated the dingy hotel room she was in, giving an unearthly red color to the walls. The air was too hot, as if the place had turned into a sauna. Jumping out of the bed, she grabbed her daggers on the side table, sheathing two on her hip and one on her thigh. Over her hard breathing, the shouts of men and the clash of swords pierced her ears.

_'No.'_

Forcing herself to focus, she looked around the room for her rucksack but failed to spot it. The threat of the fire was growing and she was losing time. With wide eyes, she frantically searched the room. She began to panic but relief washed through her after finally finding what she was looking for underneath the bed. Throwing it over her shoulder, she checked again for anything she was missing.

_'This can't be real.'_

Gunshots rang outside, causing her to hesitate for just a moment. Because of this, she heard a large crack split the air and Summer had only a second to react. She dove under the bed just a moment before the large tree outside crashed into the hotel room. Debris flew around her, but she was protected by the thick bedding. The wood walls turned aflame and Summer realized she had to get out of there immediately.

The tree now took over two thirds of the room, leaving only a small path towards the door. If she didn't leave soon, the whole room would be aflame. A coughing fit came over her, racking through her small body. Stumbling through the only relatively safe place and avoiding the flaming wreck of the tree, her outstretched hand caught the door handle and she yanked it open. The hallway was clear compared to the room behind her, so she took off running down the stairs two at a time. Even in a hurry, her footsteps were silent and soft. Reaching the hotel lobby, she increased her pace as she went through the front door.

The stench of burning flesh and shed blood permeated the air. It was gut-wrenchingly strong, and Summer covered her nose in a vain effort to ward off the smell. Around her, the street was chaos. Screaming people ran in the opposite direction of the harbor, clutching crying children and a precious few belongings. Looks of pure terror marked their faces. Directing her attention to the town itself, she found almost all of the building to be on fire, burning with loud pops and cracks as they sent sparks into the air.

_'Make it go away.'_

Large men, most likely pirates or mercenaries, fought with a few members of the town guard farther down the road and it was obvious who was winning. The brutes were properly armed and outnumbered the small protecting force that had woken up unprepared to the same death and destruction that Summer did.

Summer rushed to the nearest fight, unsheathing her small blades. Mr. Porter, the captain of the guard, struggled to fend off his opponent's attacks. Their swords clashed, the mercenary's sword raised above his head, intending to finish the captain off. Summer's daggers dug itself deep into his neck, leaving him unable to cry out. He fell heavily, blood rushing out of the wound. Mr. Porter sagged onto the ground in exhaustion, panting quickly. He nodded his head in thanks, to which Summer nodded back. She kneeled next to him and checked him over for wounds. A few cuts crossed his arms and he had a bullet wound on his left shoulder.

"They…came out…of nowhere." He said. Standing up with visible effort, he lurched over to the fallen brute. "Most of them…are down by…the docks. This one ran…down the…main road." Mr. Porter's foot lashed out at the dead man, and Summer watched unfazed by the sight. She crouched down beside him to take a closer look.

Moving the greasy hair out of the man's face, she made a face of disgust. It wasn't a pretty sight. His nose was bent from previously being broken. Several teeth were missing, and those that remained were yellowed and crooked. He seemed nondescript. She started to stand but halted, staring at the black mark on the man's neck. Beneath his mass of hair, a tattoo depicting a coiled snake was partially hidden.

_'Why?'_

She stood and slowly backed away, not taking her eyes off of the man's neck. Mr. Porter watched her cautiously.

"What is it?" She didn't answer. Her eyes were wide in fear and her hands shook.

_'How did he find me? He's supposed to be dead.'_

She sprinted towards the harbor of the little village, leaving a confused and nervous Mr. Porter shouting behind her. "Isabelle! Where are you going? Come back, it's too dangerous!" She ignored his cries, feeling a pang of guilt as he used the fake name she had given him.

Burned and destroyed buildings were her only surroundings as she ran down the familiar little street. Despite the short year and a half she had stayed there, it felt comfortable. She remembered back to when the small community all pitched together to repaint and fix the dilapidated houses. Everyone wore smiles and laughed openly on that day, and even Summer couldn't resist a laugh or two. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked around, only to find destruction and chaos. She blinked back tears that threatened to fall.

"No." She angrily told herself aloud. She kept running.

_'I will not break my promise.'_

The docks were damaged beyond repair, even more so than the buildings behind her. The smoke was thicker and darker as she neared the water, making her cough violently. Fishing boats were burning, a few remaining men and women ran screaming, chased by what she now knew were pirates. A few saw her running and began to pursue her, swinging their weapons. A raging anger flared within her as she spotted the same tattoo on all of them. She knew they were all the same pirates when she inspected the dead man before, but now the reality finally began to sink in.

Pulling out her second dagger, she stood her ground in front of the remains of the small pub. Two men closed the distance between them, and she pounced. Daggers swinging, her lithe movements worked effectively against the slow pirates.

"Ah, if it ain't our little sneak thief. We was wonderin' where you disappeared to." One of them said. The other grinned along with him.

"The captain was getting' worried, ya see. He thought you was kidnapped, and he searched all over for his favorite little puppet. He'll be happy to know that we found ya, safe and sound." He laughed mockingly. She didn't reply, but gave them both murderous looks. They swung their weapons at the same time. Blocking the swords, she used her momentum to thrust her elbow into the left one's face. He cried out, grabbing his bleeding nose. The sword went flying in another direction.

The other swung violently in rage down at her, but she managed to deflect the blow to the side, making him stumble from the lack of resistance. He fell to the ground, making him an easy target. She came from behind, grabbed his head and sliced quickly through his throat. The pirate fell limp to the dirt as blood sprayed out of his neck. Much of it stained Summer's clothing.

The other man, who had retrieved his sword, was on his feet. Any previous amusement was gone as he saw his crewmate lying dead.

"Viper was furious when he heard you double-crossed him. I always knew you wasn't one of us! Always one for your own ambitions, you was. Traitorous bitch." He spat. Her hatred boiled over and she shouted back at him.

"I double-crossed him? He ruined my life! Killed everyone I ever cared about! I never wanted any of this! _He_ betrayed _me!"_ She was on the verge of tears but her resolve prevented them from falling. She tightened the grip on her daggers and ran towards him. Fumbling with his sword, he wasn't fast enough to block. Her blades sliced two deep gashes into his stomach, and he screamed in pain, falling onto his back.

He wasn't dead yet, and she still felt the rage and adrenaline coursing through her. Surrendering herself to her emotions, she jumped on top of the pirate and stabbed downwards, again and again. Each blow relieved her of the pain she felt in her heart. Each one laden with the hurt and depression, the misery and suffering, the grief she had felt for so long. Her anger slowly, very slowly, subsided. He was long dead by the time she realized the fact. His torso was a bloodied lump. It almost looked filled with bullets with the number of stab wounds it had sustained. Her blades and almost all of her body was blood soaked, but she was too distraught to care. She stared down at his face, memorizing the surprised look.

_'I did this.'_

She looked up and scanned the decimated island. Even if it were to be saved now, it would take years to repair and make it livable again. Some buildings were still burning. Everything else was a blackened pile of ashes.

_'I've done all of this.'_

Summer watched in horror as the schoolhouse to her right collapsed in on itself. Before the broken building completely destroyed itself, she spotted several lifeless forms in its depths. She quickly turned her head away. Bodies littered the streets, most of them too badly mutilated to recognize. The stench of death filled her so completely she wasn't sure if she was actually breathing.

She needed to leave, to run away, do something, anything. A hand appeared on her shoulder, pressing down hard to keep her in place. She didn't dare look to see who it was, fearing that her suspicion was correct. A raspy voice stilled her movements and proved her assumption.

"That's right, look around. See the damage you've done? The destruction you have created?" Summer couldn't see his face, but by his tone she knew he was fondly surveying her 'handiwork.' "It's what you were made to do. You exist only for the purpose of creating chaos. How many times have I had to tell you that?"

_'No, no, no, no…'_

"No…" She whispered as she shook her head weakly, wanting to deny the cruel truth. The remaining crew gathered the dead townspeople and piled them up in front of her and Viper. She didn't know how long it took to complete the task. Her sense of time was gone, and she knew only that it took an eternity. Mr. Porter's body was among the dead, along with his wife and three children. They all had their eyes open, and seemed to stare directly at her. She wanted to look away but couldn't. Their eyes held sorrow and pain, but also anger and blame. They stared at her, only her. Not the pirates that killed them. Her.

_'I'm sorry.'_

"Come now, Love. Look in front of you. You can't keep running away from who you are. Bad things will happen." He said, implying the pile of bodies in front of them. "Now, I know you cared for them, but I'm only trying to protect you. They would never understand what you are, what you must become." He said in a too-sweet voice. She was only half listening at this point. Everything was going fuzzy.

"Why don't we come back onboard the ship and let things cool down awhile?" Viper squeezed her shoulder. Whether out of reassurance or anger she couldn't tell. She didn't really feel it anyway.

_'I did this. My fault, my fault…'_

The men began pouring gasoline onto the pile of bodies. Even though Summer knew what was coming, it still surprised her when the bodies began to burn. She kept assuming this was a dream and that she would wake up anytime now. Even as the heat hit her face and the smell intensified, she kept thinking that this couldn't be real. This was impossible. A part of her knew, however. She knew there was no denying it.

_'Give up, give up…'_

In that moment, her mind broke.

Tears began to stream down her face despite the promise to herself never to cry. Her small body shook in rage and terror and shock. She didn't answer him, simply allowed her limp body to be hoisted up into Viper's arms and carried towards the ship. She couldn't hear anything at this point.

"Get everyone on board. Tonight, we celebrate the return of an old friend!" Viper's words were met with sinister cheers.

* * *

_*Present Day*_

She stared up at the cold concrete walls of her cell, debating whether she should attempt an escape. The chains attached to her wrists and ankles were linked to a large metal ring on the wall, making her position sitting on the stone floor an awkward one. Somewhere in the prison, she heard a man crying and sobbing, proclaiming his innocence to any that would listen.

_'Such weakness. How pathetic.'_ She thought to herself, as she stretched her aching muscles. Her long blond hair was beginning to annoy her as it made her neck itch. However, with her chained limbs she could not do anything about it.

A prison guard's footsteps could be heard approaching, and she lazily glanced up at the man they belonged to. He wore a standard guard marine uniform, the only thing standing out was the bright blue fedora that sat upon his head.

'_So tacky…'_

"So, this is the infamous Red Hunter?" He said, a smug grin on his face.

_'His teeth are too white…'_ Despite her negative thoughts towards him, he continued with his mocking speech.

"Seems even someone as insane as you can't defy the World Government for too long, huh? You see, people like you don't have the capability of reigning free out in the world. At some point, you'll make a fatal mistake." He gave a short laugh, a bit high pitched for a grown man to be making.

_'Almost like a girl…'_

Summer didn't say anything. She just stared at the man, with indifferent eyes. His smug look fell a little at the lack of response. Scowling, he turned away from her cell.

"Fire Fist Ace's execution is scheduled for tomorrow. They say Whitebeard is gonna be there to rescue his own. Well, I say good luck because there's nothing that's gonna stop that execution. Just goes to show that scum like you all reach the same fate eventually." His footsteps walked away quickly until she couldn't hear anything except her own breathing and drips of water from the prison ceiling. She closed her eyes in thought. Despite the hopeless situation she was in, she couldn't help but grin.

_'Fire Fist Ace, huh? Well, damn. Blood will be shed before all of this is over.'_

* * *

If you enjoyed this chapter, please review and tell me if this is worth continuing! Thank you! :)


	2. Escape

A/N- I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC. Anyway, Onwards!

* * *

"Please, let me out! I don't wanna die! Please! _Please!"_ The man's cries became more desperate as he was dragged closer to his cell. The prison escorts on either side of him were stone faced and silent as they gripped him by the arms. They wore thick fur coats and gloves while the man wore only his prison uniform. The man tried to kick his way out of their grasp but he was too weak and starved to put up much of a fight. "Please." He sobbed violently, finally going limp as they reached his cell. Wrists and ankles were chained to the wall and the two guards left after locking the cell.

Summer watched the scene with disinterest. She had stopped caring who was in the same prison with her a long time ago. Before, it had been a sort of game to try to figure out who the fellow prisoners had been before being sent here. Now, it held no amusement to her. Besides, the man was so weak-willed, judging by his weak protests, it wouldn't have mattered who he was. She closed her eyes again as the man seemed to quiet down.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself in an effort to retain some body heat. Even though she knew from the thousands of times she had performed the same action before that it would make no difference whatsoever, she just couldn't help it. The cold was uncomfortable but familiar, though the wind was the worst part. It seeped into your core and stayed there.

_ 'At least it's not wet _and _freezing.'_

The freezing hell of Impel Down had become a sort of home for Summer. Strange as it may seem, part of her was happy she wasn't out in the world. Being out there meant there was a possibility of being captured by _Him._ That risk was enough to keep her here. At the same time, she wanted him to pay for everything he had put her through. Shaking her head, she mentally kicked herself.

_'You aren't strong enough. Not yet at least…'_

One day, she would be out of here. The opportunity just had arisen yet.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear? Boa Hancock is visiting the prison! She's here right now!" Two prison guards were conversing as they passed by her cell. The other man looked surprised.

"What could she possibly want here? Someone of her beauty shouldn't be around a prison full of scum."

"No idea, but they say that she is going to see Fire Fist Ace before he..." The guards were now too far away to be heard. The conversation had definitely piqued her interest.

_'What would a Shichibukai be doing here?'_

* * *

Far off somewhere, Summer could hear the elevator that went to the sixth level slowly making its way down to the lowest floor. It was faint, but she could just pick it out of the loud wind.

_'They're coming down to get Ace for the execution.'_

She wasn't sure how she knew that. There was no way to tell time down in this prison, so she had no way of knowing if today was even the execution day. Part of her just knew.

After the elevator had long past left the Freezing Hell level, Summer still listened for the return ride going up.

Summer didn't personally know Fire Fist, nor did she necessarily like him, but she respected that he was a powerful individual and the values he believed were important to uphold. The story of his quest to avenge his comrade's death was a well-known one. To go to such lengths just to kill a friend's murderer is truly something to be commended for.

If she remembered correctly, he also had a brother. Luffy was his name. The boy was said to have achieved great things for being a rookie pirate. She didn't have the strength to think of all of the feats he had performed, but the list was lengthy. Summer smirked.

'_Quite the eccentric, isn't he? I'm sure he'll make things interesting for you, World Government.'_

The elevator returned into her field of hearing. She opened her eyes, despite the impossibility of seeing the elevator itself. It was built into the walls of the prison, far away from her reach. The slow ascent must feel even slower to the occupant inside. She silently sent her condolences out to Fire Fist, knowing he would never hear them.

* * *

Somewhere, a large commotion was taking place. Crashes and explosions could be faintly heard from the levels above. The earth seemed to shake, and the vibrations from whatever was happening shook Summer awake. She lazily opened one eye, not fully conscious yet, to search for the source of the noise. Once it became apparent it wasn't nearby, she opened the other one. Another crash caused her to look up. All she saw was the stone ceiling.

"Hey! What's going on? What's happening?" A prisoner in the cell across from hers asked the prison guards. The guard was stressed and upset as he spoke quietly into a snail phone. He spun to face the prisoner.

"Shut up! This doesn't concern you!" He turned away and ran towards the entrance of the prison level. Something in Summer began to stir. It was a feeling that she hadn't experienced in a very long time and for a moment it left her confused. She searched for a word to describe it.

_'Anticipation.'_ Summer smiled.

_'This is your opportunity.'_

The noises continued for a long time. Prison guards from her level rushed to the ones above or took up defensive positions around the entrance. Many began shouting into snail phones, and she listened to their communications.

"The intruder has reached Wild Beast Hell and is progressing to Starvation Hell! Stop his advance!" The guards gave each other worried looks and nervously checked over their weapons. Several minutes of frantic updates came from the snail phones. "There are two other prisoners with him!"

"The entire second floor is in chaos!" Several guards from this level left, presumably to help with the upper floors.

"Massive prison escape in progress!" More guards left their position.

"We can't contain Level 4!"

"Where is Magellan? We can't reach him!"

Summer was now smirking as she listened to the close conflict on the level above her. It was obvious the prison had no grasp of how to handle the situation. A single intruder had managed to make his way down to level four of the supposed 'impenetrable prison.'

_'Who would be crazy enough to try?'_

"Don't let them through!" The guards in front of her cell shout, before all of them begin shooting at something in the direction of the entrance. A man with odd face makeup came into Summer's line of sight. With only a few kicks, the guards lay unconscious on the ground around him. His fighting style closely resembled the dance of ballet, which Summer found very odd. The surprised guards didn't stand a chance against the prisoner as he finished off the last few men.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, but Summer could see he was in a hurry. He eventually noticed her presence, coming closer to the cell.

"The Newkama Land is rumored to be somewhere on this level. Do you know where it is? It's urgent! A boy's life is on the line!" He said. His fingers gripped tightly around the frozen bars. "Please, if you know, tell me! My friend is in danger!"

Summer had heard the rumors. The infamous Level 5.5, supposedly ruled by the Okama Queen Iva, spoken about only in whispers. The prisoners who were supposedly 'demoned away.' The guards acted as if nothing was going on, but she knew they were aware of the strange occurences. The fact was, there was nothing they could do about it unless they found the entrance, which was next to impossible. She had wondered about it herself for a time, but dismissed it as a means of escape fairly quickly.

Summer nodded her head in response. The man leaned forward in expectation. She looked to the right of her cell and nodded her head in the direction the prisoners had been 'demoned away' from. "Forest…" Speaking was difficult, but she was strong enough to tell him that much. She wanted to tell him the truth, that actually finding the Newkama Land was just about impossible, but she didn't have the strength nor the heart to do so. The man's face broke out into a relieved smile.

"Thank you." The man rushed to go but suddenly he stopped. He turned and looked at her a moment. His face turned thoughtful, as if debating something over. He reached some sort of conclusion because he leaned down over one of the guards and grabbed the ring of keys. Tossing them inside near her feet, he gave her one last nod before running off towards the forest.

_'Finally.'_

Summer quickly moved and snatched up the keys, inserting them into the chains. Her wrists came first; the metal restraints fell loudly onto the ground at her side. The ankles were a bit more difficult. The simple act of leaning over was difficult after maintaining the same position for so long.

Slowly, flexing each muscle so as not to strain herself, she stood. It felt stiff, all the joints in her body protesting. She didn't mind the pain. It was a welcome change to being numb all the time. Her first steps were jerky and hard. Eventually, she made her way to the cold metal door of her cell. Her fingers clutched onto the keys with a death grip, as if she expected someone to take them away from her. The guards were all unconscious so as far as she knew, she was safe.

It took several tries before the door swung open with a loud shriek. The noise caught the attention of several prisoners nearby.

"Hey! Let me outta here too!" A cry of agreement rose up from the others. They pounded on the bars, creating a deafening noise, demanding Summer release them from captivity.

"I wanna go home!"

"I'll give you half of my treasure when I get outta here! Just let me out!"

"Give us the keys!"

The men's demands only annoyed her. Glancing around, she noticed many of them were well-known wanted criminals. This was level 5 after all. Odds were, once they were back out in the world they would continue to commit the crimes they were in here for. None of them looked too friendly, and damn her if she actually believed any of their promises. Without a word, Summer relocked her cell door and threw the keys inside near the back wall. It grew deathly silent before angry shouts erupted.

"You bitch!" Hands reached out through the bars in an attempt to grab her, but they were too far away to do anything. "Who the hell do you think you are, huh?"

_'A monster. A freak. Hell itself. Take your pick.'_

Summer smirked. If she had the ability to retort back that she was, in fact, a very dangerous person, she would have. Unfortunately, she knew her voice wouldn't be working properly for some time.

She looked at her situation thoroughly in her head, tuning out the other prisoners. She was out of her cell, it was difficult to move but after walking around a bit that should clear up. It was freezing and she didn't have the proper clothing to last very long outside. The cell walls had protected her from the worst of the strong wind that blew throughout the level. Now that she was in the open, she had no protection.

The prison was in chaos. She'd have to have the luck of the gods to successfully make it out by going through the path the intruder took down. No doubt, the place was crawling with guards on alert for any escaped prisoners. Her striped uniform made it impossible to try to sneak anywhere.

Her gaze fell upon the guards on the ground and she got an idea. She then recognized the consequences of carrying it out. It was a humiliating thought. Knowing she had no other option, she stripped down to her undergarments. Ignoring the catcalls of the other prisoners, who most likely hadn't seen a woman in years, she put on the guard's uniform. Her face was red as she fixed the outfit. Luckily, the clothes fit relatively well. The shirt was a little tight in the bust area, but there was no helping that. The unfortunate guard was left on the ground in his polka dot boxers and socks.

After adjusting the hat and picking up the guard's weapon, she reassessed her plan. Now she could blend in with any threat and access better means of escape. Which still left the most important question.

_'How do I get out of Impel Down?_

The answer came to her quickly.

_'The elevator.'_

Making her way towards the wall, Summer tried her best to walk normally. Each step was painful. She felt unbalanced and unsteady. Inwardly, she cursed the state she was in and vowed to get back in shape when this was all over.

The walk to the elevator was quite long. Longer than she had expected. Luckily for her, there appeared to be no other guards on this level so the walk there was uneventful. The door to the lift was large and made of stone. It was darkened and imposing, glaring down at her. Next to it on the wall was a number panel. She sighed.

_'Damn it, I need the code.'_

There were no guards nearby to force to open the door. Even then, she didn't want to risk anyone knowing there was a disguised prisoner on the loose.

She examined the panel closely. Some numbers were slightly worn away, their buttons tarnished. From this, she knew the code was made up of the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. She deadpanned as she realized.

_'You have got to be kidding me. It couldn't actually be…'_

She punched 1-2-3-4 into the panel and a green light appeared. In the distance, she could hear the gears of the elevator beginning to turn. Summer facepalmed.

_'What idiot makes an elevator code in _Impel Down_ 1-2-3-4? Most secure prison in the world my ass.'_

The doors opened a few moments later. Inside were several guards equipped with guns of all kinds. They wore expressions of shock.

"We were told all the guards on this floor had been taken down." One said. Summer didn't have to fake stumbling forward thanks to her weak state. Dramatically, she doubled over coughing. Weakly reaching forward, she gripped the side of the elevator.

"Have to…give…report…Main Floor." She breathed out. At her words, the nearest of the four guards rushed over to help her inside. His strong arms supported her small frame as she was guided in.

"Are you alright?" She nodded her head. They all looked worried. A woman in the car came over and checked her over for wounds. Summer assumed she was a medic of some kind judging by her calculating gaze.

"You don't have many wounds at all. How did you manage to escape?" She asked. Summer looked away, quickly thinking up a lie.

"I…hid. I'm a…coward." She broke into another fit of coughing to keep up the act. "But now…I have to redeem…myself. I'll give my report." The woman shook her head slowly.

"With that cough you'll most likely come down with a sickness. You're in no shape to give that report. Let me take you to the infirmary and I can give it for you."

Summer thought quickly. If she was taken to the infirmary, there was a great chance of being found out. They wouldn't let her out of their sight either. She shook her head vigorously as she took a shot in the dark.

"You all…probably have your own orders…to do. I have to do…my duty and…give this report. You do yours. For…the sake of the people." She didn't mean a word she said but she forced herself to sound determined.

To her relief, it worked. The others seemed to be emboldened by her little speech and wore determined looks of their own. The nurse smiled slightly.

"If you're absolutely sure. But I expect to see you right afterwards in my office." She pushed the button for the main floor and the doors closed. The rest of the ride was mostly silent except for Summer's random bouts of coughing and the sound of chaos outside on the other levels.

She half expected there to be cheesy elevator music while they rode. At this point, nothing would surprise her more than that ridiculous code they used for the elevators.

A loud _Ding!_ signaled that the lift had reached the floor. The door opened to reveal an empty hallway. No one was up here, which was no surprise. All able guards were sent to take care of the intruder. Summer moved to step out of the elevator but a strong hand pressed down on her shoulder, keeping her in place. She froze.

"Hold on there." She didn't move a muscle, expecting his next words to be something along the lines of 'You're not really a guard.' She slowly turned to face him. Despite her internal panic, her outward appearance was calm and collected. His face matched hers in seriousness. Summer dry swallowed, mentally preparing herself for a fight she knew she wasn't ready for. Four guards against a weakened prison inmate had an obvious outcome.

"I have to thank you for reminding me what it means to be wearing this uniform. I guess I had forgotten how important our duty actually is." He pointed towards her. "You are the true embodiment of a marine, Miss…" He waited for her to give her name. Fortunately, she had experience in giving fake names and created one off the top of her head.

"Rose. Rose Priest. And thank you, sir." He nodded, sticking out his hand for her to shake. She reached forward and took it. He had a firm grip.

"Good luck to you then. Now, we'll be off." He stepped back into the elevator and the door closed after them. Summer breathed out in a sigh of relief and turned her attention to the main floor.

Seeing any place that wasn't the snowy mayhem of Level 5 came as a sort of new-found discovery. She could barely remember the day they brought her through the exact doors she stood in front of now. The most prominent memory was the 'baptism.' She passed that room and quickly moved on, wanting to be away from such a place. The feel of the scalding water was too long ago to remember, but she remembered the pain. She could also recall being angry. Angry at herself and at the world.

That anger had slowly subsided and now she walked through the doors with indifference. The sun blinded her and she stopped walking, holding up a hand to shield her eyes.

_'The sun…'_

She couldn't remember the last time she had stood in the sun. She didn't think it could ever have felt as wonderful as it did now. The faint warmth it gave off was heavenly bliss. Her still-frozen body couldn't feel anything but the higher temperature didn't give her pain like the cold had. It was gentle.

Finally breaking out of her thoughts, she looked ahead to see a ship docked at the main bridge. No one was out here, not a single person.

_'Of all the places to guard, you would think the means of escape would be the first choice…'_

Her feet brought her all the way to the deck of the ship. Her plan was to stowaway on one of the ships and sneak off at their next stop. So far, so good.

She silently searched through the lower deck. There was the kitchen pantry she could hide in, but she didn't want to risk hiding in a high-traffic area. She seriously thought about the engine room for a time but came to the conclusion that mechanics would be working there constantly, thus limiting her chances of escaping unnoticed.

Finally, she came across an old storage room near the back of the ship. Inside were cleaning supplies and extra blankets. No ammunition or weapons, thankfully. If she was right about Fire Fist Ace's execution, Whitebeard would definitely be making an appearance and the marines would be looking everywhere for every gun they had available to them.

She knew it would be some time before the prison would calm down and anyone came back to the ships. Closing the door and locking it behind her, she walked further inside. Taking several blankets, she made a makeshift bed on the floor behind a bunch of boxes. There was nothing to use as a pillow, but Summer didn't mind much.

Exhausted from her so-far-successful escape, Summer instantly drifted off to the first good night's sleep she had experienced in over a year.

* * *

A/N- I know her escape was fairly fast paced and quick, and that some events may not have been canon, but I wasn't sure of what else to write in this chapter. Please review and let me know what things I can fix and if this is worth continuing! :)


	3. Stowing Away Again

A/N- I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

* * *

An explosion boomed,throwing Summer against the wall of the ship and knocking her awake. She lay dazed for a moment, unsure of where she was. Once she remembered she got to her feet quickly. No one was in the storage room, so she hadn't been found. A quick once-over ensured her that she wasn't injured besides a few minor bruises. The ship lurched violently again, and she grabbed onto the nearest shelf to steady herself.

A mirror was attached to the wall next to her. For what reason, Summer didn't know. She took a moment to look herself over. Her violet eyes scrutinized her face, frowning at her appearance. Her long blond hair was pretty tangled, face dirty and thin from lack of food in Impel Down. She was extremely pale, almost ghostly. She hastily looked away from herself.

Listening closely, the sound of swords and gunfire made Summer realize that they must be at Ace's execution. Cannons from nearby ships boomed and the earth shook.

_'Whitebeard is angry it seems.'_

Opening the door a crack revealed that no one was in the hallway outside. There were no voices anywhere, no pounding feet, nothing. The ship was empty, as far as she knew. Warily walking through the lower deck, Summer emerged from the ship and halted in shock of her discovery.

They were at Marineford, alright. A severely destroyed Marineford. The main building was in ruins, a shadow of its former glory. Thousands of marines and pirates waged war down below. The sea was frozen over, she assumed by Admiral Aokiji. Prominent among those below, she spotted Sengoku standing on the scaffold. Whitebeard stood on the top of his ship. Fire Fist Ace could be seen kneeling on the gallows, two executioners standing beside him. Several Shichibukai were fighting their own battles.

She stared down at the bloody conflict for a moment before she examined the situation. Sneaking a ship away would be impossible at this point; the sea was still frozen over and only a few marine ships farther away were in the clear. They would be filled with soldiers, as well.

Staying until everything was over wasn't a very good plan either. At some point she would be dragged into the fight. Screams of pain and the smell of blood surrounded her, but she wasn't affected by it.

"Hmm…" She stood pondering her options, a hand on her chin in thought, when something in the sky caught her attention. She frowned, squinting up at the object. It looked like…

"A ship?" She asked aloud in confusion.

_'What the hell?'_

A marine ship was falling from the sky. The dark green bottom hull grew larger and larger as it descended. She watched in awe as it sailed downwards, miraculously landing in an unfrozen patch of sea. Seawater sprayed everywhere, drenching pirates and marines alike. Much of the conflict stopped when the ship landed, everyone too shocked by what they had witnessed. Somehow, the ship didn't capsize; however, it did split in half upon impact with the water.

Once it had settled, she made out dozens of people onboard. She spotted Jinbe, another Shichibukai, standing on the deck. A large-headed person in a very exotic outfit stood next to him. Crocodile was there as well.

_'Crocodile was a prisoner at Impel Down. How did he escape?'_She quickly came to one conclusion. _'Luffy was the intruder.'_ She shook her head in amazement.

A lone figure stretched his arm and landed on the deck next to Whitebeard, blocking Crocodile's attempted attack of Whitebeard. The old pirate didn't seem fazed in the slightest, a deep frown on his face as he looked at the young boy. He wore a straw hat and sleeveless yellow shirt with shorts and sandals. He talked animatedly, but Summer was too far away to hear his words.

Whitebeard said a few words to the boy who then jumped into the middle of the fight, running towards the executioner's block.

Summer leaned on the ship's railing waving smoke away from her face as she watched the violence ensue. So much was going on; it was difficult to process everything at once. The boy, whom she had eventually identified as Luffy, truly was determined. Each opponent that came his way didn't last very long and he continued to push his way through. He defeated thousands in an attempt to save his brother.

Summer suddenly ducked behind the ship's railing to avoid a stray light beam from Kizaru's attack. "Damn marines…" She mutters as she straightens up.

Pirates allied with Whitebeard lend him their aid as much as they could along the way. It was quite a sight to see. The battle lasted for a long time. Luffy managed to free his brother, and both were taking a stand in the center of the island. Sengoku revealed that Luffy was actually the son of the revolutionary, Dragon. With the accomplishments Luffy had achieved thus far, Summer really wasn't surprised that he was related to such a famous criminal.

She watched as Boa Hancock saved Luffy from Smoker's attack, giving him something in the process.

_'So, Hancock is helping Luffy? How odd.'_

In the distance, Summer spots another ships approaching and standing on the ship's helm is Sentomaru. Dozens of Kuma's are onboard. Summer is greatly confused, but there is no way to figure it all out at the moment, so she accepts the fact and continues to watch.

The war seemed endless, going on for well over an hour and a half. She glances over at Whitebeard from time to time, curious as to how he would react to the unfolding events. One such time she just barely caught the sight of one of Whitebeard's commanders impaling his own captain through the chest. The entire battlefield watched in shock. To her further astonishment, Whitebeard kneeled down and hugged the man who had attacked him. Summer decided to watch somewhere else to avoid any more confusion.

From this distance, the fighting looks to be unreal. The toys of a child as he recklessly knocks the plastic pieces together.

Sengoku then ordered his marines to raise the city walls, effectively stopping the pirate advance. However, one wall remained down as the gigantic body of one of Whitebeard's crew stopped it from activating. Akainu then rained down hell on the pirates, destroying Whitebeard's ship in the process. Thankfully, Summer was on a ship farther away and was not affected by the attack.

A large pillar of water soars through the air towards the platform, landing directly in front of it. The water cleared, revealing Luffy holding a long piece of wood. Summer internally commended him for his bravery, as he is now standing directly in front of the three Admirals.

_'The kid's got guts.'_

He struggles to advance closer to Ace, the effort taking a heavy toll against his body and mental state. The unpredictability of the situation prompts Summer to rethink staying to watch the conflict. She shrugs, concluding that there was no other possible means of escape at that point and waiting was her best option.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luffy again advance forward despite the numerous wounds he had sustained. This whole time, Summer believed it not possible that Ace could be saved. Somehow Luffy's resolve began making her doubt her own conviction.

Whitebeard is attacked on all sides by the marines, ensuring his death at Marineford. "My God…" Summer states quietly. She watches as Sengoku gives the order for Ace's execution.

"STOP!" An unknown force pushes Summer and she struggles to maintain her balance. Her grip on the railing tightened. Silence follows afterward. The fog and dust clear to reveal Luffy surrounded by thousands of unconscious marines. She noticed that the most powerful figures were still standing but were still a little shaken up.

"Conqueror's Haki...Impossible." The battle quickly resumed after the fallen marines recover from Luffy's attack. A strangely dressed man appeared on the battlefield. His hands are like scissors and he cuts the ground as if it were fabric. With so many Devil Fruit users emerging, she gives up being surprised by anything anymore. The cutting man creates a makeshift staircase leading up to the execution platform, making a clear path to Ace.

_'All this for the sake of another...'_

Summer was distracted by Sengoku and looked back to see that Ace was free from the platform, which was now collapsing. The two brothers fight back against the surrounding marines.

Whitebeard can be heard yelling over the sounds of the war. He addresses his crew, stating that his final captain's order is to return to the New World alive at all costs and to ensure Luffy's safety.

_'So, you've got a soft spot for him, huh old man? Well, so do I, it seems.' _Summer hesitantly admitted to herself. The boy was growing on her.

It seemed as if Whitebeard intended to finish the battle with his life. A proper ending to the old Age of Pirates. He continued to slice through marines around him. Just as Ace and Luffy were set on escaping, Akainu attacked them both. From this distance it was hard to tell, but it looked to Summer as if Ace was struggling. Ace is knocked aside by the Admiral, and Akainu brought up his molten arm, preparing to strike Luffy down.

Horror struck Summer as Ace jumped in the way of the attack and took the blow himself. The wound was gruesome, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of his body. Luffy didn't move, kneeling over his fallen brother.

Jinbe picked up the distraught Luffy and fled from the Admiral. She could clearly see Luffy's face in Jinbe's arms. It is blank with his mouth wide open. As if his mind couldn't take the reality. Summer looked away from the painful scene. What she found instead piqued her interest.

Sitting in the water nearby is a yellow submarine, not too far from her. Several people stand on its deck. Out of all of the figures, she recognizes only one.

_'Trafalgar Law…Interesting.'_

He shouted at Buggy, who is now flying through the air carrying Luffy, to let him take Strawhat. Everyone onboard the submarine was focused on Luffy. The large submarine doors were left wide open behind them. An idea struck Summer. An insane, stupid, and life-threatening idea.

_'Take the chance. Go.'_

Summer jumped in the water. The cold came as a slight shock to her, though nowhere near as bad as the cold of the prison, and she swam over to the submarine as quickly and silently as she could. Luckily, they hadn't closed the doors to submerge. She silently slunk aboard, keeping her eye on the backs of the men on the deck, and slipped inside without anyone noticing. Knowing that there are probably more men inside, she began looking for a place to hide. Running feet pounded throughout the metal contraption, obviously coming closer, causing Summer to panic. Opening the first door she saw, she slipped inside. She found a kitchen and cafeteria-style mess hall. Spotting a door farther in, she crept into the food storage and locked it behind her.

Her back slid down the door and she sat with her head in her hands, catching her breath. The feet slowly died away, this time the sound of squeaky wheels accompanied them. For now, she was safe. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

_'Now what, genius?'_ She thought. To be perfectly honest, she didn't think this far ahead into the plan, relying on her quick reflexes and instincts to tell her where to go. Now that the initial idea was spent, she drew a blank as to what to do next.

_'Perhaps he wont find me and I could hop off at the next island?' _She thought sarcastically. She shook her head.

Summer was no idiot. Trafalgar Law would find her onboard his submarine eventually, but that bridge would be crossed when she came to it.

_'He's known as the Surgeon of Death for a reason.' _

Well, no shit. The World Government didn't give out a bounty over 200,000,000 just for kicks. She had to be cautious around him. His brutality was well known.

Right now, she needed to focus on a more immediate problem.

Her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that the last time she had eaten was in Impel Down. Looking down at her stomach sadly, she just then remembered she was still wearing the marine uniform. She brushed the thought off. Nothing she could do now.

Much as she didn't want to get back up, her raging hunger forced her to her feet. Looking around, she found boxes and barrels all neatly stored on rows of shelves full of food. She grabbed an apple and a loaf of bread.

_'Better start off small. Don't want my body to reject it.' _

The food was gone within seconds, her hunger getting the better of her.

"Now we wait." She said to herself. The submarine's engine suddenly roared to life and she felt the vessel surge forward. Running feet and loud booms echoed through the vessel. The air perpetually smelled of sweat, metal, and oil, it seemed. Her ears popped from the change in water pressure.

_'I just need some sleep.' _She thought to herself as she involuntarily yawned.

If she expected a smooth ride down to the depths of the ocean, she was greatly disappointed.

The submarine was hit by something and she was thrown forward into the wall. She didn't react quickly enough and couldn't bring up her hands. Her head hit the metal wall and everything went black.

* * *

A/N- Yes, I know I skipped over much of the War of the Best, but writing battle sequences is probably the hardest thing to do! The next chapter will get more into Summer's actual story. If you enjoyed this chapter, please review and let me know how I'm doing! :)


	4. Unfavorable Circumstances

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

* * *

"Come on, no one will know!" Penguin encouraged feverishly. Shachi shook his head adamantly, holding his hands out in front of him.

"No way, man. Captain will find out. He always does with these stupid plans of yours." The two stood in the submarine's dimly lit kitchen, speaking in fevered whispers. After the initial escape from Marineford and stabilizing Luffy's condition, the crew could take a breather. So far, things had gone pretty much back to normal. As it so happened, no one was in the kitchen that afternoon.

"My plans are _not_ stupid. And Captain's too busy making sure Strawhat and that fish guy live to notice." Penguin reached out for the handle to the storage room, but Shachi pushed it away.

"Even if he doesn't find out, Casper will filet us if he hears we stole food!" He was referring to the stoic old cook onboard. The two had felt firsthand what lengths he was willing to go to protect his kitchen.

"He won't find out, I promise! Please?" Penguin begged, clasping his hands together. Shachi shook his head again.

"No."

"But I'm hungry! I can't wait until dinner. It's only a little snack!" Penguin moaned. His friend sighed dramatically and began to walk away.

"You do what you want, but don't get me thrown into it." Penguin's hand appeared on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Rock, paper, scissors. If you win, we won't do it. If I win, we get the food. _Both of us_." Never one to pass up a challenge, Shachi hung his head and turned around.

"Why does this always happen to me?" He complained. They held their fists out.

"Ready? Rock, paper, scissors!" With every ounce of his being thrown into it, Shachi played scissors, hoping beyond hope that luck was on his side.

Unfortunately, Penguin held out rock, a pleased smirk on his face. Shachi slumped over in a depressing state, muttering about how the gods hated him.

"Yes! Let's do this!" Penguin turned around and opened the door to the food storage. Something blocked it from opening all the way, leaving only a small slit to squeeze into. It was a tight fit, but they both managed. The aroma of all the different foods filled their noses. It was dark inside, and Penguin began searching for the light switch.

"Where is it? Shouldn't it be closer to the door?"Penguin asked to which his friend shrugged, but quickly realized he couldn't see it.

"Well, Casper's always looking for ways to keep us out. Maybe he moved it?"

"Idiot, you can't just move a light switch. It has to be here somewhere." Seconds later, Shachi heard a loud crash close by.

"Dammit!" His friend cursed quietly.

"What was that?" He asked, still trying to locate the lights.

"I just tripped over something. Our escape from Marineford wasn't the smoothest, so there's a ton of stuff on the floor. Hey, if anyone comes in we can just say we were tidying things up!" He exclaimed happily.

"Do you really think anyone would believe that? And try to be a little quieter!"

"Of course, it's foolproof! Ah, I found the lights!" The room instantly lit up and revealed the shelves of food in a state of disarray. Boxes and barrels were strewn everywhere. Thankfully, none of them had opened in the process.

"Well, since we're in here should we actually tidy it up a bit? Maybe we could get seconds at dinner for helping Casper." Penguin nodded enthusiastically.

The two began placing the containers back where they belonged, helping themselves to a few items as they cleaned up. Barely five minutes passed before they heard a groan. They froze up at the sound.

"What was that?" Shachi whispered. Penguin shook his head, still listening for the noise. It appeared again, clearly coming from behind a shelf nearby. They shared a look and slowly advanced towards it.

Something was moving on the other side, barely shifting position, but the men picked up the faint rustling of cloth against the metal floor. Penguin took out the wrench that he kept on his belt at all times. He held it up defensibly. Shachi did the same.

They rounded the corner and spotted someone on the floor, struggling to get up. Containers surrounded it. A heavy box filled with wine bottles had fallen on the stranger's leg, pinning it to the floor and more than likely hindering their ability to walk if they got up. The person groaned again, but this time it sounded slightly feminine.

Shachi opened his mouth to yell out but Penguin used his free hand to clamp it over his friend's mouth. When he felt Shachi had come to terms with the situation he let go of his mouth and brought a finger to his lips in a universal sign for silence. His friend nodded and they both focused their attention back to the person on the floor.

Their uniform looked unusual; A crest was emblazened on the back and the outfit was grey. Shachi suddenly realized and gasped the tiniest of gasps possible. Penguin looked at him in confusion. Shachi mouthed the word 'Marine' to him and they looked back at the floor in panic.

The marine was trying to get up again, squirming around unsuccessfully as their leg was still trapped. Penguin came to a conclusion, as he stepped forward and raised his wrench. The metal tool hit their head with a loud thunk and they dropped back down to the floor, unmoving. He didn't hit them hard enough to kill or seriously injure, but the intruder would probably have a concussion after all was said and done. Both men sighed in relief.

"How did a marine get onboard?" Shachi asked hurriedly, the panic finally settling in.

"I don't know! The question is, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Tell the Captain." Shachi answered instantly. Penguin looked at him as if his skin had turned purple.

"And risk him knowing we were in here to steal food? Can't we just keep him hidden until the next island and ditch him there?" He gestured to the marine. Shachi looked at him seriously.

"No. We have to inform the Captain. With a marine onboard, there could be ships after us. The entire crew could be in danger." At this, Penguin sobered up quickly. Never in a million years would he do something to put his crewmates in harm's way. He nodded in understanding.

"I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't wake up. You go get Captain." Shachi nodded and rushed off to find Law.

Penguin looked down at the prone figure, frowning deeply in thought. The person was face down on the floor so he couldn't see their face, but he took in the petite figure and long hair. His eyes widened as he realized.

_'A woman?'_

* * *

A pounding headache was what eventually woke her up.

"Ow…" She muttered, attempting to reach up and massage her aching head. One arm moved, the other was held back by something. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly from the brightness of the room. Up above her was an insanely bright lamp. Looking at her now bandaged arm, she found it was handcuffed to the bed she was laying on. Upon a closer look, she found her leg in a splint and she felt her head wrapped in bandages as well. Once her health was checked, she examined the room she was in.

Besides the lamp above her, the room was darkened. The familiar smell of disinfectant and latex in the air was a dead give away, but that didn't make it any less disgusting to Summer.

_'I'm in an infirmary.'_

Her mind finally began to process the small beeps and strange sounds echoing through the room. Looking to her right, she saw another patient in the corner of the room. The man was in terrible condition. Almost his entire body was bandaged. Dozens of machine surrounded him and wires were attached to several parts of his body. From the small section of his face that wasn't bandaged, she spotted a shock of black hair. Below one of his eyes was a scar. She frowned in thought. The boy looked familiar but she couldn't be sure where she had seen him. Then it dawned on her.

_'Is that…Luffy?'_

The thought was so unlikely, but as she kept looking at him and seeing that messy head of hair, she had to admit that there was no one else it could be. It took a moment for her to remember Trafalgar Law's appearance at the War at Marineford. He had been trying to convince Buggy to let him take Luffy, but Summer had snuck inside the sub before she found out what had happened afterwards.

A door opened up and she swung her head left to see a man walk in. She instantly regretted it, as the sudden movement made her head spin. He turned on the lights, revealing the obnoxiously white walls. Their color did nothing to help her headache.

_'Why can't hospital rooms be a happy color? Like a soft blue? Something that people actually want to look at.'_

He walked towards her bed. The first thing she noticed was the yellow and black hoodie he wore with his jolly roger on it. His light blue pants had weird spots on the bottom and he wore black pointed shoes. His hands and arms were tattooed with tribal-style ink. She noticed his hat was missing from his head, revealing his unruly black hair. He stopped next to her bed, holding a folded piece of paper in his hand.

"So, our little marine is awake." He said. He pulled the stool by the side table closer and sat down. He was smirking at her, obviously amused at something.

She didn't say anything in response, still not trusting her voice to be strong enough. He continued to stare at her, unperturbed by her silence. She stared back, unaffected by his intense gaze.

"Although, that's not entirely true, is it? You're not a marine." It wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway.

"That uniform is from Impel Down, correct?" She nodded again. "You're in too bad of a condition to be a guard there. What's more, I heard there was a large break out a few days ago. A few hundred prisoners escaped."

_'That many got out? Damn.' _She smiled slightly, once again nodding confirmation.

He leaned back in his chair. "Hmm. What is your name?" She knew the question was coming and had already thought up a fake name for it.

"Natalie." Her voice was clear and confident, much to her surprise. He didn't say anything but stared at her for awhile.

"Liar." He said. He unfolded the paper he had been carrying, and Summer now noticed his fingers were tattooed with the words D-E-A-T-H. He turned the paper around to show her what it was. She closed her eyes and sighed. It was her wanted poster.

_'I don't want to see it. Take it away.'_

It showed Summer, covered in blood, turned to the right looking somewhere in the distance. Her face was dirty but her outward expression was of pure indifference. Behind her, a marine base of some sort lay in ruins. Below the picture was the name given to her by the marines. She didn't even glance at the paper. Smirking, Law read it out loud for her, knowing she was uncomfortable with it.

"The Red Hunter Summer. Considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not approach. If sighted, immediately contact marine forces. Bounty: 195,000,000 beli."

The bounty had risen since she last looked at it. Though she assumed the prison had taken notice of her absence and reissued her wanted poster. Judging by her bounty rise, they were desperate to get her back.

"Miss Summer-ya, I don't appreciate being lied to." Though his words were threatening, he didn't appear to be angry at all. Instead, he looked amused. She sighed again and his smirk seemed to grow wider.

"What I would like to know is what you are doing on my submarine." His words held an underlying threat. It wasn't hard to pick up the message he was sending of 'Tell me what I want to know or there will be consequences.' Summer then realized there was no way she could lie to Trafalgar Law. He knew who she was and what she was known for. He was at the complete advantage as well, her injury and lack of weapons preventing her from defending herself. For the time being, she had to cooperate with the sadistic pirate captain.

"I needed a way off of Marineford. Your submarine just happened to be there." He crossed his arms.

"I assume you came in with the ship that fell out of the sky then." At this she shook her head.

"I escaped my own way from Impel Down. I snuck onto a marine ship in disguise." She said glancing down at her guard uniform. "I watched everything from a distance."

"You are quite lucky to have avoided the battle." The words themselves sounded impressed, but his tone held no hint of admiration. Summer laughed slightly.

"I wouldn't call it luck. More like...happenstance." He raised an eyebrow.

"Happenstance?"

"Well, luck's never payed me any heed."

"Interesting…" He said. Internally, Summer could almost feel his mind turning over this information.

_'Because that's all I am. Information.'_

It made her sick.

_'You're just like the rest of them. Don't act all high and mighty, you sadistic bastard.'_

Though Law's pleasant...well, somewhat pleasant attitude, surprised Summer, she could sense the underlying caution and distrust between them. Sure, the conversation was trivial enough, but...

_'I can't trust him._'

There was a few seconds of silence, save for the ever-present beeping of the machines attached to Luffy. She glanced towards the boy.

"That's Luffy, isn't it?" Her question brought Law out of his thoughts, a frown appearing on his face at her intrusion. He also looked over at him. He nodded. "How is he?"

"Physically, his wounds should heal. As to his mental state, I'm not sure." He glanced curiously at her. "Why do you ask?" She shrugged, not taking her eyes away from Luffy.

"It would be a shame for him to die after going through such an effort to save his brother. I mean, who else could have come as close as he did to stopping that execution?" Law's answer wasn't immediate.

"I am not here to discuss Strawhat-ya. I'm here to decide the issue of what to do with you, Miss Summer-ya." This brought her attention back to Law.

"What _are_ you going to do with me exactly?" He smirked again and it was beginning to annoy her.

"Two things. First, seeing as you are injured and cannot move just yet, you will remain my patient here until you are fully healed."

_'Well, that's reasonable enough, I guess. I've got no where else to go anyway.'_ She waited for him to continue.

"Second, you will join my crew."

_'...Excuse me?'_

"What?" She asked heatedly.

"You will join my crew." At this point she was done with pretending to be nice.

"And why the hell would I do that." He shrugged her obvious anger off.

"You aren't in any position to refuse. I could kill you, if that's what you want. I'd rather not, though. You interest me too much." She frowned.

"Interest you?"

"I've heard about your exploits before Impel Down. However, a year before those events and your childhood seem to be shrouded in mystery. Someone so mysterious will catch my interest."

His mention of her childhood instantly shut her off. Those memories were not welcome in her mind any longer. As soon as she was back in _His_ control, her mind erased those times. No amount of convincing would make her remember them again. She looked away from him, forcing her expression to become indifferent.

"Nothing about my childhood is interesting, believe me. It's not worth the effort of finding out. And I'm not joining your crew." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his damned smirk again.

"Oh, I highly doubt that, Miss Summer-ya. You have nowhere else to go. And one way or another, I'll find out all there is to you. Whether it be by persuasion or force, I will come to know your past." She looked at him in annoyance.

"Suppose I do join your damned crew. I know you intend to use me. What possible use would I have to you?" At her rude tone, his smirk fell just a little.

"My chef needs assistance in the kitchen nowadays. You will help him there. You can cook, I assume?" Frustrated, she sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm not incompetent, you know."

_'What a douche.'_

"Good. As soon as you can walk, you'll start working with him."

Law rose from his seat and walked over to Luffy, critically gazing at the injured boy. A clipboard sat on the side table and he wrote a few things in it. Once done, he walked over to the other side of the room where a second patient lay on the table. It was Jinbe, the Shichibukai. During her chat with Law, she hadn't even noticed the fishman's presence. After checking over both men, he turned back to Summer. Wearing that infuriating smirk.

"I suggest you get as much rest as possible. One of my crew will bring you your dinner later." He made his way towards the door.

"Trafalgar Law."

At the mention of his name, he paused and looked back at her. Once she had gotten his full attention, she continued.

"It would be wiser to stay the hell out of my past. You may not like what you find." He was about to speak but she beat him to it.

"It would be a shame if your crew's safety was compromised because of your curiosity, you know."

His gray eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Opening the door, he left without a glance back.

Summer closed her eyes in irritation.

_'How the hell do I get into these shitty situations? Do you just hate me that damned much, whatever gods are up there?'_

Luckily for her, they didn't answer.

* * *

A/N-I'm not sure if I should make this a LawxOC story as I have never tried writing romance before, but I will definetely consider it. As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, please review and let me know how I'm doing. It helps me out a ton! Thanks! :)


	5. I Heard it Down the Grapevine

A/N- I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Woo! I'm actually really happy with how this is progressing so far! I'm in a writing frenzy lately, so these chapters are basically writing themselves. I'm trying to make this story explain itself as it goes, but if you are confused in any way down hesitate to ask me what the heck I'm talking about! And I apologize for any mistakes that may be in here, I do all proofreading myself and some things slip!

Warning: This chapter contains mentions of rape.

Onwards!

* * *

_*An island somewhere*_

The highly classified research lab on Aspis was in chaos. Scientists and researchers searched through thousands of project and subject files. Papers piled up around their feet as each paper was read and quickly discarded. Frenzied shouting filled the research hall of the laboratory. The noise was of great disturbance to the Research Team Leader, Doctor Mundy.

The uproar in the hall below his office somehow managed to invade his soundproofed room. He kept the lights off and the air conditioning on full blast despite the already below freezing temperatures outside. Slouching back in his comfy desk chair, the haggard man slowly sipped his lukewarm coffee. He held his head in one hand and drank with the other, rereading that day's newspaper for perhaps the hundredth time.

His headaches had disappeared as soon as they had heard the news. The release of the newspaper after the 'War of the Best', as they were now calling it, had set the small lab into action once again. Preparations for tests and experimentations were being made as he sat in his cold office.

_'So, it begins again.'_ The doctor mused to himself. He allowed a ghost of a smile to grace his lips, gazing down at the paper. Several pictures were taken of the bloody conflict and littered the front page, mostly showing the marines' 'victory.' These he held no interest in. No, his attention was rapt on one face in particular, the picture several pages into the paper. He closed his eyes in thought as he drank more coffee.

The noise down below persisted still. Before any major plans could be made, they had to find _it _first. Somewhere it laid waiting in that godforsaken paper pile of fruitless endeavors. For years it lay untouched, awaiting the day its subject returned. He could almost feel its yearning to be filled with information and discoveries.

_'Files are not humans, Max. Do not think of them as such.'_ Doctor Mundy reminded himself, forcing his brain to think rationally and objectively.

"I found it! It's right here! Look, its here!" Loud shouts strained to be heard over the deafening voice of the crowd. Shouts of delight arose and clapping started up from the scientists. Several minutes later, the doctor heard footsteps approaching his office door. He waited patiently for the impending knock, uttered a calm 'come in' when it came, and watched as the younger scientist breathlessly entered.

The woman immediately went over to his desk and placed the manila file folder on top. A blood-red stamp of CLASSIFIED decorated the cover, as well as a long code. 711-A549: the subject identification number. Glancing up at the woman, Doctor Mundy looked her over carefully as he placed the coffee mug down on the desk. She had short brown hair, glasses and a beautiful smile. She was quite short, no taller than five feet, but she held herself high as she stood in front of him. Her name tag identified her as Dr. Margaret Kemp. He directed his gaze to the file she had placed there, slowly reaching for it.

Opening it carefully in front of him, it revealed several photographs of the subject and detailed accounts of the experiments performed. The woman's smile had faded, waiting expectantly for the doctor to address her. Doctor Mundy scanned over the contents for several minutes, not even acknowledging the woman's presence. She began wringing her hands out of pure nervousness. Why wasn't he saying anything? That was the right file wasn't it? Maybe she should have…

"You may go now, Margaret." She looked up at his voice, but his gaze was still affixed to the file. She nodded her head.

"Oh. Yes, sir." Quickly taking her leave, she breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her. She went off to celebrate with the other researchers in the break room.

Doctor Mundy read every word of the documents over lovingly, reveling in every detailed response made by the subject. Even as he reached the end of the reports, his hunger was not sated. Closing the folder again, he calmly stood from his chair and faced the back wall.

There, his medical awards and certificates surrounded one paper that looked oddly out of place on the official-looking wall.

A wanted poster, severely worn from previous handling, was pinned in the middle. Mundy walked over and gently stroked the face, truly smiling for the first time in a long time. Distantly, he could pick up the cheers of the other scientists as they celebrated. He ignored them. His coffee was left forgotten on the wood desk behind him. He had eyes only for one.

"Summer, my dear. I can't wait to have you back home."

* * *

_*Somewhere in the New World*_

"Captain! These are the only survivors. We couldn't find anyone else." A crewman hauled over the last two survivors of the small town to the group of pirates. Behind him, the former village lay in ruins; buildings sported dozens of holes from the ship's cannons. Bodies littered the road. The two people, a young couple, were thrown onto the ground, terrified expressions fixed on their faces. Both were bound and gagged, much to the captain's delight. It always made it more interesting that way.

The girl whimpered as he sauntered over, a sound he truly loved to hear. Holding onto her arm and taking the gag from her mouth, he watched as she tried to shake herself free from him.

"Let me go! Please!" Her voice was filled with fear, causing the pirates around them to laugh darkly. The captain joined in as well. His grip tightened and she gasped in pain.

"Well now, why would I do something like that? The fun has only just begun!" He placed a foot on her chest and kicked her away. She was sent sprawling over towards the man, who watched the scene in disgust and fear. He looked around at his crew expectantly; all eyes were on him.

Smiling, he grabbed a bag of loot from the stacked pile nearby and began walking towards the ship. He spoke to the men over his shoulder. "Alright, you've waited long enough. Have your fun. But leave the man to watch. His pain is half the entertainment." Snickers and the sound of zippers arose behind him. The girl's cries made it all the more enjoyable.

"Captain." A call from the ship turned his attention above him. Standing on the bow was his first mate, holding the newspaper in his hand. He wore a wide grin, clearly happy about something.

"What is it?" Viper asked indifferently, neither happy nor angry that the crewmate was calling for his attention.

"I think you should see this." He tossed the paper down at him. Viper caught it easily. The front page proclaimed the supposed marine victory at Marineford, to which Viper had to chuckle.

"Marine victory, huh? Sure, if they can call that slaughter-fest a victory." The first-mate laughed as well.

"That's not all, though. Turn to page six." The captain did so, scanning the page carefully. His eyes landed on a certain wanted poster. His eyes widened in delight and he laughed out loud.

"Well, what do you know! It's about time!" He turned around to the crew, watching as the men had their 'fun.' The woman was an emotional wreck at this point, sobbing and squirming uncontrollably. The man strained against his bonds and the hands of his captives, fury overtaking him as he watched his partner's treatment. Suddenly wanting to get into action, Viper spoke up. "Enough fun for one night, we have a new objective!"

Grumbles were heard as they reluctantly moved away from the distraught couple, zipping their pants back up and looking curiously at the captain. He held the paper up to them.

"Our little friend is back in the world! It's been too long, don't you think?" The crew roared in agreement. "We leave in an hour! Gather the loot and get aboard! We're backtracking a little!"

* * *

"I'm fine! Quit touching me!" Summer swatted the medic's hands away as she sat on the edge of the bed in an attempt to stand on her bad leg. Law had given her painkillers before their conversation so she hadn't considered her injury a major problem. Now that they had worn off, the pain was almost unbearable. Despite her condition, the last thing she wanted to do was have to be dependent on the sadistic bastard's mercy in order to live. In her effort, she was determined to speed her recovery along and be mobile sooner than he had estimated, even if it meant facing the pain.

"Please sit down! If you move around too much you'll..." He began, but Summer pushed him away again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll just end up making it worse. You've told me. To be honest, I don't really give a shit if it gets worse. I refuse to be confined in this damn room any longer." Even in her anger, she didn't raise her voice to the man nor was she genuinely angry at him. Summer recognized that he was only following his orders from Law to watch over her in case she needed anything. Or to stop her in an event that she try to move. Such as this one.

But she had to get out of that room. Her fear of hospitals and anything to do with doctors was starting to affect her. The smell alone was giving her horrible flashbacks. Even in her hurry to get out, she took care to remain quiet.

Luffy was still recovering. His condition hadn't changed at all in the day and a half Summer had been in the infirmary. Law had come in to check on him several times over the course of the day, but nothing ever changed. She wasn't sure if she could count that as a blessing or a curse. Nevertheless, she didn't want to disturb his much-needed rest. That didn't stop her from resisting her confinement though.

"I just want to exercise it a little. Isn't that good for recovery? It's not like I'm setting out to run a marathon any time soon!"

"I'm sorry, but the captain said you needed bed rest until it was fully healed." He sighed, obviously not happy with having to keep her in the infirmary. She could tell he was getting tired of her arguing over it. At any other time, she might've felt bad. Right now, she didn't care.

"Just a walk in the halls. You can even come with me if you have to." He was wavering, stuck between helping the pleading young woman in front of him and facing his captain's wrath. "Please?" She added.

He eventually agreed to it, on the condition he accompanied her and held onto her arm the entire way. She reluctantly agreed to the second part.

_'As long as it gets me out of that damn room.'_

Stepping into the hallway was a blessing, even as she gritted her teeth from the excrutiating pain in her leg. The stench of disinfectant and metal instruments was behind her, though the alternative of sweat and machinery was much better. Though she would take anything over the hospital smell she had been forced to endure while she was confined. It was pretty difficult to walk on her leg. It was worse than she thought it had been, though she would never admit that. Silently, she thanked the medic's support on her left arm as they took the hallway one slow step at a time.

"I never caught your name." She said, slightly startling the man beside her. She usually wasn't the one to initiate conversations. He cleared his throat before answering.

"Liam, Miss." It became very apparent that he was shy by nature and found it difficult to talk to people directly. He didn't look her in the eyes, instead stared straight at the hallway ahead of them. She gave a small smile.

"You don't have to call me Miss, you know. Just call me Summer." It felt a little weird giving her real name, but Law already knew who she was and no doubt would have informed the crew eventually. Lying wouldn't do her anything at this point.

"Sorry, Mi...I mean, Summer. I'll try." They fell silent for a few minutes, but Summer was thinking rapidly.

_'How does someone as polite as you end up crewmates with a sadistic doctor?'_

"How did you end up joining this crew, Liam?" She asked without really thinking. He glanced at her, quickly shifting his eyes away as they met. His nervousness was getting worse.

"Well, I lived on this small island. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to study medicine so I could help people." He paused and swallowed thickly. "We weren't very rich and my parents didn't have enough to buy me the books or supplies I needed to study, so I would always have one from the local library."

Summer listened patiently, becoming genuinely intrigued by his story. As he spoke, his confidence grew and he visibly relaxed. "To earn a little extra, I fixed and cleaned ships in the harbor. Well, I brought one of those books with me that day. I kept reading it while I worked; it was really interesting. I was cleaning captain's submarine when he came back and saw me reading the medicine book. He asked me if I was interested in becoming a medic onboard so I could continue studying. Needless to say, I accepted."

They had arrived back at the infirmary doors and Liam pushed it open for her. Slowly, they walked back to the bed and she gratefully accepted his help getting back up. Once she was situated, she looked back at him.

"Now I see. At first I couldn't understand how someone as kind as you followed someone as sadistic as Law." He blushed a deep red at her compliment but met her eyes for the first time as he spoke.

"Captain is a very kind-hearted person, most people just don't see it because he doesn't let them. Yes, he can be brutal but that's not the only part of him. You'll see." It was a very inspiring speech, but she doubted it. She answered with silence.

Liam glanced at the clock on the wall and straightened up. "I'm going to go get some lunch. Someone should be bringing you something to eat in a little while, alright?" She nodded and gave a small smile.

"Thank you for the walk, by the way. You pirates aren't all that bad." He smiled a little in return and left for the mess deck. She sighed when he was out of sight.

_'Don't be getting attached, idiot. You have to leave them soon.'_ She had found herself warming up to the little crew, or the three or four people she had met so far. But with a captain like Law, there was bound to be a few creeps rallied behind him.

Summer had started to doze off when she heard the doors open. Her first thought was that Liam had come back from lunch, but the person's footsteps were different, almost silent. She opened her eyes and was shocked by what she was.

Walking towards her, carrying a tray of food, was a polar bear. More surprising was the bright orange jumpsuit he was wearing that bore the Heart Pirates jolly roger. Summer was left speechless as the bear came to stand beside her bed. It stared down at her in equal surprise.

"I brought you your food." It said. She widened her eyes.

_'It...talked?'_

"You can talk?" She asked. The bear had placed the tray on the side table, but when she spoke he looked down in depression.

"I'm sorry." He said gloomily. Summer was horrified at what she had done to him.

"No, no! Don't apologize. I was just surprised is all."

"I'm sorry." He said again. She sighed.

_'He's a little sensitive, it seems.'_

"What's your name, then?" She asked. He looked reluctantly at her.

"Bepo."

"Well, Bepo. My name is Summer. A pleasure to meet you." She reached out and scratched behind his ear. Instantly, his eyes closed and he leaned into her hand. She smiled brightly and continued the treatment.

_'He's so...adorable.'_

"I assume you are here to bring me my food, right?" She asked after pulling her hand away. He looked disappointed at the loss of contact, but nodded nonetheless.

"Captain said you needed the proper nutrition to speed up your recovery." He said, gesturing to the silver tray.

It held a glass of water, a simple sandwich, an orange, and a piece of cake. She raised an eyebrow.

"Cake?" She asked.

"Casper likes sweet things. Casper is our cook." He added the second part when he noticed her confused look. Her face cleared as she understood.

She hesitantly took a bite of the sandwich, unsure as to what to expect of a pirate cook's food. She found it to be ok, if not a little bland. Bepo sat with her while she ate. They didn't speak, but it was a companionable silence. As she drank the entire glass of water, she noticed Bepo sniffing her.

"Umm...what are you doing?" He immediately straightened and looked away shyly.

"It's just...you smell really nice." Her mouth opened in surprise. Bepo hung his head again. "I'm sorry."

She gently patted his head. "Hey, it's alright. Don't be so sad about everything. And thank you." He smiled up at her and she found she couldn't help but smile back. Bepo was absolutely adorable.

_'And so soft...'_

Bepo stood up quickly when he glanced at the clock. "I have to take this back to the kitchen. Captain's waiting for me." He began walking away but looked back at her. "Bye Summer." She raised her hand in a small wave.

"See ya, Bepo." When Bepo left, she slouched back against the bed. Meeting Bepo was nice, but she reminded herself not to get attached to them.

_'Attachments create nothing but pain. Just think about a way off the sub once we get to a highly populated island, how to find Viper, how to get stronger, and quit thinking about Bepo's soft fur!'_

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but think of how warm and soft Bepo was. A smile came unbidden to her lips. Even disregarding her year in Impel Down, she hadn't felt that warmth in a long time.

* * *

Law leaned against the outside of the infirmary doors, waiting for Bepo to return. The encounter with that woman, Boa Hancock, left him in a foul mood. He was left wondering why such a person was ever given the title of Shichibukai in the first place.

_'The woman's an absolute idiot.'_

The doors finally opened, and the polar bear entered carrying an empty tray.

"She ate everything?" He asked, focusing on his patients instead of the infuriating pirate empress. The bear nodded.

"Yes, actually she ate everything very quickly." He smirked. The two began to walk side by side towards the mess deck.

"Captain, is she going to be joining the crew?" Law glanced up at his friend.

"As soon as her leg heals." The bear beside him smiled in response.

"That's good. I like her, she's nice."

This didn't surprise him. Anyone Bepo didn't perceive as a threat he had a tendency to like. She probably scratched his fur, which would give her high standings in Bepo's eyes. Law thought the conversation would end there, but the bear continued.

"She smells nice too. Like strawberries and the woods."

Law wasn't sure how to respond so he stayed silent.

"But...it was strange. The entire time I talked to her, she looked happy. When I smelled her though, she smelled afraid, but not of us. She's afraid of someone else."

The bear fell silent after that, deciding that the captain was deep in his thoughts, which he was. Law, meanwhile, was mulling over this new piece of information. From appearance, she was fearless and indifferent. Well, he supposed everyone had to fear something or someone.

"Is there anything else you could figure out, Bepo?" The bear tilted his head in thought, looking back at his observation.

"She didn't like being in the infirmary, I think some of the fear was from that too. I guess she doesn't like hospitals."

The two fell silent again, leaving Law to ponder and Bepo to mull over his own inner thoughts. The bear couldn't stop himself from asking them.

"Captain." Law looked up at him. "Do you think she knows any female bears?"

He couldn't help but grin at his friend. "Probably not, Bepo. But it wouldn't hurt to ask, now would it?"

* * *

A/N-Again, be sure to review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! I hope you enjoyed! Suggestions for future chapters are greatly appreciated! Thanks! :)


	6. Self-Denial and Coffee

After resting for another day, she was back on her feet. Walking was still a bit of a chore, she still had to keep her ankle wrapped, but Summer could live with her stiff movements. She walked behind the two engineers as they gave her a tour of the sub.

"This is where the crew sleeps, and over there," The one with the penguin hat said, pointing across the hall." There, is the bathrooms."

"Come one, we'll show you the kitchen." They eagerly guided her through, their attitude towards her much different from the first time they had met.

_*Flashback*_

"Penguin, Shachi, this is Summer-ya, our new crewmember. I want you to take her around the submarine." Law could see the fear in their eyes and began to second guess his decision. Summer looked at them in confusion.

"Uh, what's their problem?" They looked at her in complete terror, not speaking and shaking slightly. Law smirked when he realized the cause.

"It may be the fact that they were the ones who…"

"No, Captain! Don't tell her! She'll kill us!" The one wearing sunglasses pleaded, clasping his hands together. "Don't tell her we knocked her unconscious in the kitchen storage!" Penguin smacked his head with his fist.

"Idiot! Now she knows!" They looked at her, now both on their knees, begging.

"Please don't kill us!" They cried in unison. Summer could feel Law's calculating gaze studying her, but she ignored it.

She raised an eyebrow. "So that was what hit me. You guys thought I was a marine, right?" They nodded cautiously. "Well, you were only trying to protect your nakama. So no harm done. Though I will have a bit of a headache for awhile." She admitted, rubbing the back of her head.

She just about lost her balance as two bodies launched at her and two pairs of arms wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you!" They kept saying. They kept rambling on about how she was 'the most kind intruder they've ever had.' She gave a very confused look up at Law, who just stood there wearing that damned smirk of his. He walked away casually, leaving her to deal with the two emotional engineers.

_*End flashback*_

"This is the kitchen, and where you'll be working with Casper." They led her into the mess deck and into the kitchen behind it. It was quite large, fully equipped to serve a large crew. What's more, it was spotless. Not something she would have expected from the kitchen of a pirate crew.

"Watch yourself around Casper. The old cook is as tough as rock." Shachi whispered in her ear. Penguin leaned in on the other side as well.

"We've never seen him smile. Not even once!" She smiled a little and gently shoved them away.

"He can't be that bad, can he?" They nodded their heads.

"Wait till you meet him. Then you'll see." She gave them doubtful looks and followed when they began walking back outside.

"Well, that's just about it. It's a little confusing at first but you get used to it quickly." Penguin said. She smiled sadly.

"I don't think I'll be around long enough to know." She admitted quietly. They stopped and looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, aren't you joining the crew?" Shachi asked. They both looked so disappointed, but Summer forced herself to feel indifferent. She found that harder to do than usual. She shook her head.

"No."

They sighed heavily, slumping over as if defeated.

"I knew it was too good to be true." Penguin commented. Shachi nodded.

"It's the curse of the Heart Pirates. No attractive woman ever stays here very long." She tried fighting back a laugh, but it accidently slipped. At the sound, they both started to sob.

"Such a beautiful laugh, too."

"We'll never hear such a sound in our lives again. We're destined to be alone, doomed to live our days as old bachelors." The two were now on the floor due to their depressed states. Summer couldn't contain herself any longer and laughed loudly at the two men's antics. She had to wipe a tear from her eye, before speaking.

"Oh, don't look so down about it." Giggles escaped her as she spoke. "You'll find someone to join your crew. There's no doubt in my mind." They looked at her sadly.

"Yeah, but can't we just have one female nakama onboard?" Shachi asked miserably. "Is that too much to ask for?"

Penguin began walking away in depression, and Shachi followed him. "Well, I hope you stay here a little longer. You are nicer than you think you are." They slipped away, leaving Summer alone in the kitchen, a smile unknowingly still on her face.

_'If only you were right.'_

There was nothing to do at that moment, so Summer walked to one of the tables and sat down. Leaning her hand on her hand, she gazed out of a nearby window. The ocean was a light blue, her favorite color, revealing how close to the surface they were.

_'Don't get attached.'_

The thought had a depressing effect on her. She had become accustomed to traveling and living alone. No one to depend on and no one depending on her. Without realizing it, she concluded that such a life wasn't much of a life at all.

_'Don't get attached.'_

A school of fish swam in front of the glass, dancing in strange patterns. Their shimmering bodies created a beautiful display as the sun hit their scales. Throughout their little dance, they always seemed to move in pairs or groups of three or four. If one ever was left by itself, one would branch off from the larger group and join its side.

The fish swam off quickly as a large predator fish lazily drifted by. His dull brown scales made him ugly in appearance.

_'Don't get attached.'_

_'Yeah ok, I get it.'_

_ 'Don't get attached.'_

_ 'I know what happened last time! Stop reminding me!'_

She suddenly became drowsy, lulled by the gentle rocking of the sub and the warm mess deck. The comfort felt amazing to Summer who was so used to the cold restraints of Impel Down. Her body felt at ease and relaxed for the first time in a long time.

"Small and white, clean and bright…" She unconsciously sang to herself. The song was an old festival tune, one she remembered from a memory. Resting her head on her arms, she closed her eyes and welcomed the confines of the gentle darkness.

* * *

Law double checked Luffy and Jinbe, the latter sitting wide awake on his bed, having woken up when the pirate empress boarded the submarine.

"We should be reaching Amazon Lily soon." The fishman said. Law glanced up from the charts and nodded.

"A little more than a day." He wrote down the results of several tests and replaced the clipboard on the side table.

"How did the Red Hunter get aboard this vessel?" Jinbe asked suddenly. Law debated whether to tell the man or not but decided there was no harm to it. As much as he wanted to keep Summer's presence hidden, Jinbe was against the World Government so any information would not reach their ears. The pirate captain didn't want unnecessary conflicts because of her being onboard his ship.

_'__It would be a shame if your crew's safety was compromised because of your curiosity, you know.'_ Her words echoed in his mind.

"She snuck aboard while we were at Marineford. My crew found her in the kitchen storage after we had escaped." Jinbe nodded thoughtfully.

"Her escape will make more than a few people happy, and added trouble for you." The statement was downright confusing, Law thought as he frowned deeply.

"What do you mean? Who could profit from her escape?" He crossed his arms and sat down in the stool. Now that his curiosity was piqued, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Mostly scientists. Much of her past is unknown, but I've heard a few rumors. Something about that girl intrigues the science community to the point of issuing a bounty on her head." Law raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"So her bounty wasn't for the destruction of several islands?" The fishman shook his head.

"Another government cover-up. They didn't want smaller research labs knowing about her usefulness, lest they try to use it to their advantage." Law rubbed his goatee in thought, his eyes narrowed.

"What is their interest in her?"

The fishman shrugged. "That I do not know. Sengoku was talking about it before, when I was still a Shichibukai. As soon as he realized my presence, he clammed up." He shifted on the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position. Law noticed the movement immediately.

"If you move, your wounds will reopen and you'll die. Refrain from doing so." Jinbe didn't respond.

"Having that girl with you may be more trouble than it's worth." He warned. "I would consider letting her go when we reach Amazon Lily. I'm sure they'll take her in."

Law said nothing, walking out of the infirmary without looking back.

He really needed a cup of coffee. Making his way to the kitchen, he ran into Shachi and Penguin who were severely depressed by the looks of it. He stopped them in the hall.

"What happened?" He asked calmly. They both sighed.

"Summer told us she doesn't plan on staying with us." Penguin sulked. Shachi nodded in agreement.

"We thought we could finally have a girl as a crewmember, too." He frowned at their words.

"She is a crewmember. Where is she now?" They pointed down the hall where they had come from.

"We left while she was in the kitchen." He nodded and left his two emotional engineers depressed behind him.

Upon entering the kitchen, he stopped at the sight before him. Summer lay sleeping at one of the tables. One arm cradled her head and the other dangled down the table. He smirked at how innocent and childish it made her look.

Her blonde hair framed around her face and cascaded down her back. Now that he got a good look at it, it was longer than he had previously thought. Her slow breathing was the only sound in the room.

_'What secrets are you hiding?'_

Breaking from his trance-like state, he moved off quietly to get his coffee, leaving the Red Hunter to her sleep.

* * *

A/N-I hope you enjoyed even though it was a shorter chapter! Feel free to leave a review and let me know how to improve or suggest a chapter! :)


	7. Casper the Stoic Old Cook

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

I'm happy you guys are enjoying this so far, and thank you for the feedback! My recent promotion at work will make writing and updating a little more difficult with the additional hours, but I will find whatever time I can to keep this going. :)

Onwards!

* * *

"So you're the new recruit, eh?" Casper glanced her over with arms crossed over his chest. From what she had heard about him, she was a little nervous to meet him at first. They both stood in the kitchen; the crew could be heard conversing in the mess deck just outside. Summer was dressed in an apron and waited as the cook sized her up.

He was older with salt and pepper hair and aging skin. What got her most were his eyes. They were wise and looked as if they knew everything. He had a deeper voice, almost what she imagined a father to sound like. Though when he spoke, she detected a hint of bitterness and caution. Even now, she didn't know exactly how to respond to his question. In reply, she nodded.

"Hmm." He said, still examining her as she was forced to stand there under his gaze. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

_'That's it? All I get is 'Hmm?''_

Casper turned his back to her and began placing cookware on the counter. He seemed completely at ease, though she could see he was alert at all times around her. "I assume you can cook since Captain sent you to work with me." She rolled her eyes as her cooking skills once again came into question. "Well, let me get something straight." He said, turning back around and giving her a hard stare, his dark brown eyes piercing her blue ones.

She held his gaze evenly. "What?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "This is my kitchen, so don't think you can just do what you want here. You'll be under my supervision, so listen to my instructions." She glared.

"I'm 23 years old. I think I can handle myself." She turned away and looked at the recipe they were making. A vegetable soup.

_ 'Easy enough. I've made this plenty of times before.' _

Reaching for a cabinet to look for ingredients, her hand was smacked away with a wooden spoon. She jerked it back and held it to her chest.

"Ah! What the hell?" She swung around to look at the old cook and found him with arms crossed, still holding the spoon, glaring at her.

"I told you to listen to what I say. Don't go looking for things before I tell you to." She glared back as she rubbed her injured hand.

_'God, a little territorial, much?'_ Summer sighed in frustration. If this continued-her trying to accomplish something and him watching with such a critical eye-they would never finish dinner. Holding her hands up in surrender, she stepped aside.

"Alright, alright. Just get on with it then." He silently glared at her for another moment before he stepped up to the counter and began to work, probably deciding that that was as close to obedience he was going to get right then.

"First, you need to become familiar with the kitchen." He opened all of the cabinets and drawers as he showed her where all of the equipment was, instructing her which knives were used for what. His explanations were extensive but surprisingly easy to follow. Much as she hated to admit it, she did learn a few things from him as they cooked the crew's dinner.

They worked mostly in silence, save for the few instructions he gave her and the chopping of their knives. When he wasn't explaining how his kitchen worked to her, he really didn't speak much at all. And, just as the two engineers told her, he didn't smile. All his attention was on his work. She watched him as he worked, noting the intensity at which he concentrated when chopping a vegetable or stirring the soup. She began to understand how he worked.

"Put the carrots in now." He said. She did so, stirring the soup a few times to prevent the bottom from sticking. She looked to him for further instructions. He pointed to the cabinets with bowls and spoons. "Start serving."

Summer returned with the bowls, waiting as he ladled it into each bowl. He nodded, and she brought the two in her hand out to the mess deck. As soon as she appeared, the ruckus grew louder, everyone eager to eat.

The layout of the room and how the crew was sitting made it a little difficult to hand out the food, but she managed. As she distributed, she was able to meet the rest of the crew. Surprisingly, she didn't see Law.

"Summer-Chan! We're hungry! Feed us first!" Penguin shouted across the room. Shachi waved his arms in the air. She shook her head, grinning slightly.

"You'll get it when you get it!" She said, walking back into the kitchen. It took a few minutes to feed everyone; the sound of spoons hitting bowls commenced. She stood in the doorway, observing the crew as they ate. Despite how noisy and rambunctious they actually were, each one remembered their manners. Though many of them started playing poker in the middle of dinner. She grinned, though it quickly went away as her stomach grumbled loudly. She covered her midsection with a hand in an attempt to quiet the sound. A few of the men nearby heard and they looked up and laughed good-naturedly.

"Hey, girl!" She heard from the kitchen, causing her to frown. Throughout making dinner, he didn't call her by her name once. She had assumed Law had told him her name beforehand, though she wasn't sure now. Turning around, she headed back inside.

"My name is…"

"I know who you are, Red Hunter." He said, interrupting her before she could finish. His glare was as menacing as they came. She was about to retort but closed her mouth instead. She realized she had no right to get angry at him for being suspicious of her. As an unknown person onboard, he had every right to be wary around her.

_'He has a point.' _She thought to herself.

He pointed to a bowl on the counter. "That there is yours. Eat quickly." He turned away, picking up a tray of food from the counter and walked out the door. She wondered briefly who it was for before realizing that she hadn't seen Law at all during the course of dinner. Finding a spoon, she started eating. Once again, she thought the soup a little bland, but still delicious. Already, men were finishing up their meals. It bugged Summer to see them leave the dirty dishes on the tables.

Eventually, the crew filtered out of the mess deck and out into the hallways, presumably to head off to sleep. The quiet inside the room was strange after listening to the endless noise during dinner. Having finished her own meal, she began collecting the bowls and spoons left out by the crew. The sink rapidly filled up with dishes, and Summer realized that it would most likely be her job to clean it all anyway.

Sighing tiredly, she found a sponge and soap and set to work. The old cook didn't come in once as she washed the dishes, which she found strange. She shook her head, forgetting about it. Her hands pruned up after awhile. The pile of clean dishes rose, but despite her hard work, the dirty pile never seemed to shrink.

Her exhaustion was beginning to eat at her; it grew steadily harder to keep her eyes open and she yawned multiple times. There were still dishes to be done, so she kept on. Summer wasn't sure how much time had passed before the dishes were all clean. The piles rose high and dozens of spoons sat on a towel to dry, though she couldn't remember doing most of them.

She fell asleep before she realized it.

* * *

Casper came back with the tray of food, hours later. He resigned himself to the chore of dishes with a tired sigh.

_'I'm getting too old for this.'_ He thought as his back popped into place as he walked. The mess deck was dark, but the kitchen lights were still on. Frowning, he internally scolded the girl for leaving them on. His steps were the only sound as he stepped through the kitchen door.

What he saw almost made him drop the tray. The counter was piled high with cleaned dishes. On the floor, the girl sat asleep with her back against the cabinets. Her head was rested on her shoulder and she didn't wake up when he walked in.

He stared disbelieving at her, impressed that she had managed to accomplish so much while he was gone. The girl had literally worked herself to sleep, it seemed. Looking back and forth from the pile of dishes to the sleeping girl, Casper put the tray on the counter. Picking her up bridal style, he carefully walked her back to the infirmary.

Something he didn't expect to feel swelled up in his chest: guilt. He had just come back from his talk with the captain asking him to task her to another job. He had adamantly argued that she was doing more harm than good being his assistant, stating that she blatantly rebelled against his instructions right from the get-go.

Now, as he carried her to the infirmary, he regretted every word he had said. While it was still true that he still didn't trust her fully, he now saw that she was a harder worker than he could have ever imagined. She had passion, which he admired. One wouldn't just clean an entire kitchen of dishes just for the fun of it.

Upon arriving at the double doors, he pushed one open quietly with his foot. He saw the captain look up from his medical books at his arrival. The doctor's eyebrows rose at the sight of the old cook carrying his new crewmember.

"And what is this?" Law asked with great interest. He stood as they approached. The cook stopped and sighed.

"She worked herself to sleep cleaning almost the entire kitchen's dishes." Law indicated for the cook to give her to him, which he gladly did. The weight was starting to get to his arms. The girl groaned in her sleep as she was handed between men. Law carefully brought her to the infirmary bed, mentally reminding himself to figure out her sleeping situation soon. Once he ensured she was comfortable, he turned back to the older man.

"You could have left her in the kitchen." He said, the cook nodded.

"I could've." Law crossed his arms, interested to see this strange turn of events after their previous conversation.

"But you didn't."

The cook looked at the girl now sleeping soundly on the bed. He didn't say anything at first, thinking carefully over his words. The captain watched his face with interest.

"I was wrong about her. I believed her to be lazy and stubborn, but she showed me different." Now both men were watching as the blonde woman slept, both thinking over their own thoughts.

"She certainly did." The captain said, a hand on his chin in deep thought. It fell silent after that, only disturbed by Summer's even breathing and the machines attached to Luffy. Law turned to the cook.

"Perhaps you should head to sleep. It's been a long night." The cook nodded and turned to leave. He stopped and faced him.

"I'd like her to continue helping me in the kitchen. She proved she's a hard worker." Law smirked by his cook's decision.

"I think that would be best." The cook nodded again and silently slipped through the door. The doctor turned his attention back to the sleeping woman, walking over to her side. He moved a piece of hair from her face, studying how peaceful her face was while she slept. In the morning, it would once again take on that mask of indifference.

"For one so adamant about leaving this crew, you don't seem to put up much of a fight." He said aloud.

* * *

"If you want me to do the dirty work for you, it won't be cheap." Viper said into the Den Den Mushi. His easy grin was replaced with a twisted smile as he thought of the money he could make from this deal.

"Oh I assure you, you will be payed handsomely for your services." The voice on the other end replied. Viper crossed his feet on top of his desk, leaning back further into his padded chair.

"I want half beforehand and the rest when I deliver her to you." A laugh resounded from the other end, and Viper's grin fell slightly.

"Now, now. Don't be so hasty. Half is quite a sum. I will send a third beforehand and the rest after." Viper thought it over a moment, weighing his chance of bargaining with the man. Deciding that this was the best deal he was going to get he grinned again.

"Alright, we have a deal. Where should I bring her once I have her?" He stood up, walking over to the window in his quarters and looking up at the sky.

"Take her to Punk Hazard as soon as she is captured. I don't want any unnecessary attention being paid to this operation. Quickly and quietly is what I want." The idea made Viper laugh.

"She won't exactly come quietly, you know." He stuck a finger in his ear in an attempt to scratch an itch.

"Well, that's not my problem, now is it? Figure something out." Viper scowled.

"Just have the money sent and I'll set my course." He was about to hang up when the man spoke again.

"And Viper? I know you're known for your brutality, but I want her alive and well when she gets here. Any unnecessary damage will not be tolerated. If she dies or is unusable to me, the deal is off." The call ended, leaving Viper to seethe on his end. Angrily, he slammed the phone onto the table, shattering it to pieces.

* * *

A/N-Please leave a review to let me know how I'm doing, they are greatly appreciated! Suggestions are a blessing as well, so if you have any I would love to hear them! Anyway, thank you for reading and I will try to update soon! :)


	8. Lady Bears and Men-Haters

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

I finally got this chapter done! Work has been super busy and I just got back from a week long vacation so this took a lot longer for me to write than I expected.

Thank you, lovelies, for being patient!

Onwards!

* * *

"Why do they keep staring at us like that?" Bepo asked, cocking his head to the side as he watched the women of the female island serve food to the crew. The bear looked to Summer who sat next to him. She shrugged, taking a bite of a bright orange fruit native to the island. It was surprisingly good.

"They live their whole lives without seeing men, so an entire crew of them probably makes em' a little edgy." She too had noticed the cautious and hostile glares from the island's inhabitants, though she was never a recipient. Assuming it was because she was female, she didn't bother worrying about it much.

"It's probably nothing to worry about Bepo." She said as she stretched her stiff body. Spending a few days doing nothing wasn't as great as she had thought it to be. Her body was growing accustomed to inactivity and it was starting to take its toll. Grimacing, she cradled her not-fully-healed ankle after feeling a sharp throb of pain.

The bear held a paw to his chin in thought and Summer took the opportunity to glance around. The submarine was docked on the eastern-most shore of Amazon Lily. A few of the crew looked over the little yellow ship to check for repairs. Most of them sat around on the grassy slope eating the food the natives had brought for them, conversing happily.

The island was nice enough; large, green vegetation and a thick forest were all she could see so far, even the little beach was beautiful.

_'I wonder what the rest of the island is like…'_

The inhabitants weren't so cheerful. Many were curious, of course, but a few angry words from the more senior women (who wanted nothing to do with the Heart Pirates or any man for that matter) made them hush up and retreat from the crew. At first it had been a small form of entertainment-watching as the men ran in fear as the warriors pulled out their bows or shouted spiteful words at them- but it quickly lost its appeal and began to irritate her.

Continuing her lazy search, she spotted Law in the middle of the clearing with Jinbe, talking quietly. Though he looked relaxed as he calmly ate his meal, Summer could see the tension in his muscles as he glanced around at the warrior women, even from this distance. True, no violence had arisen, but the uneasy truce between the two parties could break from the smallest move from either side. Before she had time to think over it any more, Summer felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

"Summer?" She turned her head to Bepo. His features were very serious when he looked at her and she became a little uneasy.

_'Please, don't ask about me. I don't want to lie to you.'_

"Do you know any female bears?" He asked. She relaxed instantly, relieved that his question wasn't pertaining to her past. She fought the urge to laugh, knowing that, to Bepo, this was a very serious matter. Miraculously maintaining a straight face, she smiled.

"I'm sorry, Bepo, I don't." He nodded sadly, a small frown on his face. The sight was so adorable she put her hands on her cheeks.

_'So cute…'_

"Ok." He looked away in silent dejection, a moment later turning to her again. "Do you think this island has female bears?"

_'Aww…poor thing.'_

"No, I don't think so. Maybe at the next island." He looked depressed again. She patted his head to cheer him up like it always did, and he closed his eyes in happiness. Scratching behind his ear, the way she knew he loved, she quickly turned his miserable state into one of absolute bliss. She couldn't help but smile widely. Her attention was focused on Bepo, so Summer didn't notice three women approach the tree they sat under.

"You!" One of them said, startling her. Looking up, she saw the woman pointing down at her, a glare directed straight at her. The woman's outfit was horribly skimpy, though all of their attire appeared to be that way. Her eyes were adorned with too much makeup in Summer's opinion. Small gold earrings dangled on her ears, and her black hair was tied high on her head.

One of those who stood behind her had short, spiky green hair and a plain face. The other had long blonde tresses, reaching nearly to the small of her back. All of them carried bows and were accompanied by the strange snakes all of them seemed to own. All of them wore the extremely showy outfits. None of them were smiling. Altogether, Summer didn't like them.

"Yeah?" She asked indifferently raising an eyebrow, wondering what the women wanted with her. Next to her, Bepo eyed them suspiciously. The woman's glare intensified. The two behind her looked stern as well but at least a little friendlier.

"Why do you sail with men? Do you not know the strange and horrible illnesses one can catch from these creatures?" She gestured to the crew behind her, apparently truly bewildered by Summer's situation.

"Umm…they are exactly like you, just a different gender. You're the same species as them."

"You have been brainwashed by these vile creatures, you poor soul. Men are diseased and dangerous. I am surprised you haven't been killed yet." The woman shook her head sadly, the other two following in turn. "Why do you continue on with them?" Summer sighed at the woman's opinion.

"I sail with them because…well…I kind of have to." She said, stealing a glance at Law who still sat far away in the clearing. All of the women's eyes widened, the one who spoke glancing around at the crew in revulsion. Noting their extreme expressions she rushed to clarify. "You see, I was…"

"These savages!" The woman spit in disgust, cutting off the rest of her explanation. "Forcing you to enlist under their flag, stealing you from your home no doubt. What cruelty!"

Sighing, she mentally face palmed at the woman's assumption. Summer put her hands up to stop her.

"Umm, no actually it's not…"

"They demean you by making the beast follow you around. Has dignity no value to them?" She continued. Summer frowned, pointing an accusatory finger at the native woman.

"First of all, don't call Bepo a beast. He's my friend, so watch your damn mouth. Second, you've got it all wrong." She was so irritated with the waste of air in front of her she almost overlooked what her words actually meant. Her eyes widened slightly in realization.

_'I called him friend…' _

_'Don't get attached.'_ Her more reasonable side scolded her.

The woman completely ignored Summer, instead she turned to the other two and nodded sharply. Summer sat in great confusion, wondering what the heck the women were up to. The older one turned back to her.

"Will you allow us to take you to the village? We would like to show you our way of life. Perhaps that will change your mind."

"Please come with us. It pains us to see a young woman forced to work in a world of men." The one with the long golden curls finally spoke. The woman with spiky green hair remained silent.

"Why the hell should I trust any of you?" She asked as she brought her mind back to the present, slightly annoyed they thought her life was so damned terrible without knowing anything at all.

_'No one _can _know anything about me.'_

She was tired of being nothing but information, an asset to others with twisted motives and immoral methods, tired of the questions and answers that were her life, tired of being in the dark about who she was and why everyone was so damned _interested _in her. That train of thinking brought her back to the conversation with a certain pirate captain. She unconsciously narrowed her eyes in anger, remembering his words.

_"You will join my crew."_

_ "And why the hell would I do that?" He shrugged her obvious anger off._

_ "You aren't in any position to refuse. I could kill you, if that's why you want. I'd rather not though. You interest me too much." He practically purred._

As the exchange with Law resurfaced in her mind, so did another conversation with a whole other pirate captain. One from long ago though the words were as clear as day.

_"You can't kill yourself, love." He said after another of her unsuccessful attempts on her life. Holding her by the collar of her thin shirt, he brought her closer to his face. His putrid breath caused her to gag, cutting off precious air. The smirk grew wider as she struggled, feet dangling as she twisted and turned in his grasp._

_ "Shut up!" She spit with difficulty. "Let go!" He laughed, a low, disgusting rumble in his throat. His grin never left his damned face._

_ "There are people interested in you. Powerful people. They are the only ones who understand what you are. We don't want to disappoint them now, do we?"_

She shook her head to clear the dark thoughts.

"Will you come with us?" The women were still waiting for an answer, staring down at her. She wasn't sure what she should do. Law wouldn't let her out of Bepo's sight, much less allow her to frolic through the thick forest with men-hating women.

_'Since when did you care what he wanted?'_ She thought.

Looking back up, she settled her face into an indifferent mask. Nodding, she stood up and brushed the dirt off of her pants.

"Alright, show me your village." The eldest woman nodded and the four turned towards the forest.

"Summer?" She looked back at Bepo who had his head tilted and an uncertain expression. "I was given orders to watch you so I'm coming with you." She smiled at his insecurity.

"Alright you can-"

"No!" The sudden outburst from the green-haired woman made her jump in surprise, cutting off her sentence. Hard eyes glared at Bepo, she had her bow in her hands but it remained undrawn at this point. Summer had no doubt that she could have it pointed at the poor bear in less than a second.

"But the captain-"

"No." She repeated with equal heat. "No man has ever set foot on this island since the beginning of its existence. We shall not break that rule now." Summer rolled her eyes at the ridicules mindset of every inhabitant of the island. Sighing, she gave Bepo a slanted smile.

"It's alright, Bepo. I won't be gone long. I'll be fine." The bear looked away and wrung his paws together, eventually reluctantly nodding his head.

"Alright, but don't do anything dangerous. I'm supposed to be protecting you." She nodded, turning back to the forest and walked into the thick foliage with the three women.

* * *

A/N-Once again, please review to let me know how I'm doing. Suggestions and feedback are greatly appreciated! I'm running low on ideas so please don't hesitate to let me hear them. :)


	9. You Are Your Choices

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Another day, another chapter! I appreciate the feedback I have been getting and now feel super motivated to write as much as humanly possible the last few days! If I could gift you all with Bepo plushies, I would! ^_^

Thank you all, you lovely readers!

Onwards!

* * *

"Bepo, where is Summer-ya?" Law walked up to his visibly nervous friend, glancing around the clearing in search of the mysterious blonde. It was getting quite late in the afternoon and Casper wanted help cooking dinner for the crew, but the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"She left with three of the island women, Captain." Narrowing his eyes in frustration, he gripped his nodachi a little tighter. Bepo must have taken this as a sign of anger on his part, and quickly lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

"I told you to keep an eye on her." Law replied sternly, not entirely angry that Bepo hadn't been able to keep her in check. In the short time that she had been onboard, Law had come to realize the girl was a sort of free spirit. Often times, he would find her wandering the submarine at odd hours of the day. Keeping her in one place seemed to be impossible and that played on Law's nerves regularly. So it came as no surprise that she had disappeared once again, though Law had hoped having Bepo be the one to watch her would perhaps make her more willing to stay put. The girl had taken quite a liking to the polar bear.

"I'm sorry, Captain. She said she wouldn't be gone long and she would keep out of trouble." Law stared at the thick forest ahead of them as if he could see Summer from here. Already, the sky was getting darker making the trees grow sinister shadows.

"How long ago was this?" The bear scrunched his face up in thought before giving a confident answer.

"About two hours ago." Sighing, he turned away from the tree line and began walking towards the clearing.

"We shouldn't expect her until morning then. Casper-ya should be making dinner at this point so come back to the ship, Bepo." He stopped and glanced back when he realized the bear wasn't following him. He raised an eyebrow in question.

Bepo looked back to the forest, then back to Law. "Are you sure she'll be alright, Captain?"

It was then that he realized how strong of a bond his first mate had with his mysterious new crewmember. Bepo made connections with people easily (a little surprisingly considering he wasn't a human himself and his extreme sensitivity.) Who he deemed a good person he would bond with quickly, but he hadn't expected the bear to feel this strongly about Summer _this_ quickly.

_'There is more to her than we may think, then.'_ Law nodded in response.

"Summer-ya can take care of herself. Her escape from Impel Down proves that." Law's answer seemed to ease the bear's discomfort somewhat. "We will wait for her in the morning. Come on, then. Casper-ya should be making fish tonight." The bear nodded happily.

"Aye, Captain."

The mention of fish quickly erased his dark mood and Bepo walked beside Law towards the sub with a small smile. Glancing at his friend, he couldn't help but smirk as well.

* * *

"Can I _please_ wear my own clothes?" Summer asked, feeling horribly exposed in the bikini-like outfit the native women had given (or rather forced) her to wear upon their arrival at the village.

"We will not have you wearing the last vestiges of your imprisonment. You are free from their power now. Besides, those clothes were quite…foul." The blonde warrior said, who Summer had learned was named Marcia. She wrinkled her nose at the memory of the unwashed uniform.

The women had given her a tour of the village, explaining the dreadfully boring history of each building and its importance to their community. Each person they met felt the need to greet her, or shake her hand which she quickly grew annoyed of. By the time they had made it to the center of the town, she was about ready to murder someone at the mention of another 'important fact about our island's foundation.'

"We will outfit you with your own weapons while we are here." Kikyo, the eldest, said as they approached the weapons and armor shops. Summer's ears perked up at the mention of weapons. She hadn't had a weapon since she was imprisoned. Now, her hands were itching to hold one. They stand had a large variety of weaponry, though mostly bows and arrows adorned the walls.

"Ah, you must be the one who was with the pirates." Said the shopkeeper, a tiny woman who didn't look at all able to craft such weaponry. She spread her arms over the counter. "Please, take your pick."

Summer stood with a finger on her chin, eyes narrowed as she inspected the instruments of steel around her. She dismissed bows as an option, having only minimal experience with using it. Swords weren't her style, being too heavy or slow for her lithe figure and quick fighting style.

"Hmm…" Her eyes scanned back and forth. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything to her liking. She turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have anything else? Maybe something smaller?" The woman looked around in thought.

"Let's see…Ah! I think I know what you might like." She kneeled down behind the counter and set a cloth-wrapped item in front of Summer. Removing the top layer of cloth, she revealed four well-cared-for daggers. Holding it out to Summer, she gingerly took it in her hand, a smile forming on her face. "What do you think?"

She took the time to inspect every inch of it, turning it this way and that, feeling the weight of it in her hand. She looked up in happiness. "They're perfect." The shopkeeper smiled in return.

"We don't normally use daggers, but I always keep a few just in case." Coming out from around the counter, she gestured to a nearby tree. "Why don't you try them out?"

Summer didn't need to be told twice. Quickly taking one in her hand, she threw it towards the tree, feeling satisfaction at the sound of the knife hitting home.

"Thank you, these are exactly what I want." She said after pulling the dagger from the tree trunk.

"That's what I like to hear." The shopkeeper said, smiling and waving as they left her stand. Kikyo looked at Summer strangely.

"Daggers are an odd choice of weapon. Not many would choose them."

Summer shrugged a half smile on her face as she stared down at the small weapons. "I'm used to them." None of them spoke after that, slowly walking down the main road of the village.

The houses stood close to each other, lined down the main road with other roads branching off of it. It was very organized and neat, easy to navigate.

The sky was dark at this point, surprising Summer by how much time had passed. Her stomach grumbled audibly, making her face go red from embarrassment. She almost fell over as a hand smacked her back.

"Haha! You have an appetite I see!" Marcia laughed loudly. "The great hall should be serving food now, so we will eat there."

Summer nodded and followed the women to the noisiest building in the village.

* * *

Casper kept looking out the window in the kitchen towards the menacing forest. Chopping the onions took longer than usual because of his worried glances. Not even the noisy banter of the men just outside that usually bothered him made him pause in irritation.

His eyes wandered yet again to the window, shifting his attention from cutting the vegetables to the space outside. Forcing himself to focus, he returned his thoughts to his work and threw the ingredients into the pot and stirred the bottom.

Serving food without the girl was slower, but the hall was considerably less noisy than it normally was. The men spoke lowly, as if not to disturb some unseen force. Even as he distributed food, Casper only received quiet 'thank you's.'

The captain didn't have any medical books to read tonight, so he sat among his crew, leaning down into his seat with his hat over his eyes. Bepo sat next to him happily munching on the fish he had received earlier.

Casper came over and placed the food in front of the captain, though he did not return to the kitchen immediately after. Law seemed to sense his continued presence and looked up with a questioning gaze.

"Yes, Casper-ya?"

"Are you entirely sure the lass will come back? After all, she didn't want to be here in the first place. Who's to say she won't just stay here?" Law lowered his hat again to cover his eyes but Casper could see the wide smirk just under the brim. He answered without hesitation.

"She'll come back."

He said nothing more and the cook took that as his cue to leave. Casper had never had any reason to doubt Law's judgment before, but he hoped to whatever god there was above that the young man was right.

* * *

Penguin and Shachi sat nearby, overhearing the captain's conversation with the cook. They glanced at each other.

"You think Captain's right?" Penguin asked his friend quietly. Shachi sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know. She didn't seem to want to stay when we asked." Penguin looked away sadly.

"Yeah..." The conversation ended there, though both of them silently hoped to themselves that she would come back.

* * *

Summer's breathing was labored as she ran/limped through the forest. The darkness made progress difficult, as the crescent moon didn't give much illumination. Hidden brush and sharp leaves left nasty red scratches all over her body.

_'Damn skimpy clothing.'_ She thought. At least they had allowed her to keep her boots, otherwise her feet would have been ripped to shreds by the various rocks and sticks hiding in the brush. Her ankle would have given out long ago as well.

She tried keeping the noise to a minimum, but the small sounds of rustling branches and her heavy breathing seemed incredibly loud to Summer. She didn't want to alert the warrior women of her escape, but at this point there was nothing she could do about the noise.

She had to get back to the sub. Now.

Sure, the village had been nice enough. True, the people and food were great. But _never leaving again?_

Oh, god no.

_'Like hell I'm gonna hide here till the day I die.'_

She had no idea which direction the submarine actually was, but with no reference points to go by, all she could do was pray and hope for the best.

"Dammit…" She muttered as her ankle gave another sharp pain. She really shouldn't be running, but the sub was the only place she wanted to be at that moment, much as she didn't want to admit it.

She continued to run blindly, oblivious to her surroundings at this point. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. Her face was now covered with dirt and the bugs and wildlife would probably eat her alive before morning, but she was too tired to care.

She could have sworn that she heard a voice somewhere, but she was asleep before she could think about it anymore.

* * *

Law leaned against the hull of the sub, his nodachi resting on his shoulder. His eyes were directed up at the stars, lazily reflecting on their beauty. The night was peaceful, and Law found his mind wandering to other things.

The looming threat of Summer's past piqued his interest and made him wary at the same time.

_"It would be wiser to stay the hell out of my past. You may not like what you find."_

She had warned him plenty of times that digging up information on her was dangerous, and he began to wonder if such an action would even be worth facing these unknown risks. Law had never been as interested in something as he was with her, and he thought he knew why.

She was a complicated puzzle, one with many faces and hidden sides. Law could pick apart the secrets of any other human he met with relative ease, but he couldn't figure her out. She was constantly changing, it seemed. Indifferent and cold one moment, then shy and kind the next. Solving her would bring a great sense of satisfaction to the pirate doctor. After all, he was never one to back out of a challenge.

A noise in the woods brought him out of his thoughts and gripped the hilt of his weapon, ready for whatever it was that was charging through the trees. It was certainly getting closer, and quickly. He couldn't see anything as the shadows made visibility impossible at this point.

A figure burst out of the trees on his right. It was human, and the woman was breathing with difficulty. He watched her stumble and fall, and Law slowly made his way over to her.

He spotted the showy clothing that all Kuja women wore and narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand why a Kuja woman would be running around the forest in the middle of the night, but the taking of his object of interest left him with ill feelings towards the island's tribe. Something about her was familiar though and he quickly smirked, instantly relaxing his grip on his nodachi. She faced away from him, but her long blonde hair gave her away.

He stopped beside her and crouched down. Tilting his head in amusement, he chuckled lowly.

"Welcome back."

* * *

A/N-Bepo obviously has his priorities set! ^_^ Anyways, please review or PM me suggestions and comments. I am happy to answer any questions you may have! See you in the next chapter!


	10. Sweet Dreams and Sour Awakenings

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Hello again! :) Just wanted to say thanks for all the support and all that good stuff.

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- Law has to be sure of himself. He's a serious BAMF. Bepo deserves all the lady bears! ^_^

**Vivianne95**- I'm trying! Work and stuff makes it hard but I am seriously hauling butt to get these chapters to you as fast as I can! :)

Thank you, you lovely people!

Onwards!

* * *

The small window on the infirmary door was crowded with faces trying to see inside. Shachi and Penguin pushed and shoved against each other to get a better view.

"Get out of the way! I wanna see!" Shachi leaned closer and glared at his friend.

"I want to see her too! I'm just as worried as you are!" Penguin pushed Shachi's face away, causing him to fall backwards.

"I'm more worried about her than you are, idiot! I should get to see her first." Penguin tried to peer into the open space but his collar was yanked and he found himself pulled onto the ground and caught in a hold by the angry engineer.

"No way! I'm _way_ more worried than you could ever be! Besides, you're the one who knocked her unconscious in the first place! Who says she even wants to see you?"

"She said she understood! I was forgiven!" The two continued to wrestle on the ground, completely forgetting that they wanted to be the first ones to see the injured girl. Bepo, who was standing passively nearby, stared calmly at the men's impromptu wrestling match in slight confusion. He really couldn't understand why they were arguing. Everyone was worried about Summer, and the noise probably wasn't good for her rest.

Law, to the surprise of the crew, had returned from getting some fresh air with Summer in his arms. After the initial cheer of relief, they noticed the dozens of red scratches covering her small body. Instantly, that happiness had turned into worry.

Their mother henning, as Law would have described it, was no help to Summer's recovery. He set her down on one of the infirmary beds (the same one she had used before) and immediately set to treating her injuries.

Despite the crew's desire to see her, Law ordered them out of the infirmary on the grounds that their 'incessant noise would prevent him from working properly.' They understood that peace and quiet was important at this point. So, being the good men they all were, they retired to their own sleeping quarters for the night to wait patiently for her to awaken in the morning.

Shachi and Penguin were not skilled at waiting patiently.

Both men and bear looked up as the door to the infirmary swung open, nearly hitting Penguin square in the face if he hadn't have rolled away from it in time. There stood Law. A very angry Law at that. Frowning in irritation, he held his nodachi tightly in his left hand and gripped the door frame with his right. His eyes were narrowed and he said nothing.

The engineers took on a deer-in-headlights expression, scared into silence. Bepo looked on with a blank stare.

"I believe I told you before to _keep it down."_ He said quietly after a long pause, the threat quite evident in his low tone. Both men nodded vigorously, scrambling to their feet and saluting hastily.

"Aye, Captain." They said in unison. Immediately, they ran away as quietly as they could manage in the halls leaving Bepo and Law standing there alone.

Law sighed deeply and turned back to the infirmary. He left the door open, a silent invitation for Bepo to follow. Closing the door softly behind him, the bear looked over at the sleeping girl.

Still wearing the Kuja attire, her arms, legs, and torso were wrapped in bandages and stitches were visible along the right side of her jaw line. Her breathing was relatively normal, if not a little fast. Her expression was one of pain, not peaceful like the bear had hoped it to be. Bepo eyebrows furrowed in worry, and he turned to Law who stood beside him.

"Will she be ok, Captain?"

Law nodded slowly. "Yes, but she will be sore in the morning. Those scratches may become infected as well, though I cleaned them as best I could." He turned to clean his medical equipment while Bepo continued to watch Summer.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Law watched Bepo as he gently laid a paw on top of Summer's head. Then the polar bear lowered his paw down to her hands, and she unconsciously held onto it in her sleep. Her painful expression cleared up and was replaced with a small smile. She hummed in quiet satisfaction.

Law couldn't resist but smirk as he watched the interaction, too distracted to continue cleaning whatever tool he was currently holding. Summer was truly smitten with Bepo and Bepo with her. She had only been onboard the sub a week now. He chuckled as he watched her nuzzle up against the paw and her smile grew wider. Bepo was now smiling as well, happy he could help Summer relax a little. He could smell her fear easing, if only a little.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't find her?" Viper hissed at the man, causing him to retreat a few feet in fright. He held his hands in front of him in protection.

"Sir…none of our spies have reported seeing her anywhere. She's not on any of the islands." Viper's fist came down hard on his desk and the man yelped. The large pirate captain stood up from his chair and crossed the room. The man tried to back away but Viper's hand shot out and grabbed the man's neck.

"She has to be!" He shouted, squeezing tightly. The man tried in vain to pry Viper's fingers off of him. "She can't just disappear, dammit!"

"I…don't…know…" He tried to reply, coughing in between words. The man's vision began to fade, little white dots hovered at the corners of his eyes.

_'I'm going to die.'_ He thought.

Viper seemed to remember the situation and let go. The man fell to the floor gasping and coughing while Viper walked back to his desk and sat in his chair. He steepled his fingers, closing his eyes in thought.

"How large is the area we are searching right now?" He asked several minutes later. He appeared to have regained his composure, as his voice was calm and steady. The man had gotten up from the floor at this point.

"A 100 mile radius, sir." His throat hurt when he spoke and his voice was hoarse, but he knew not to speak about it. Angering him further would only make him more dangerous.

Viper nodded slowly. "Increase the radius to 200 miles. I want her on my ship by the end of the week. Now leave."

The man nodded, quickly taking his leave from the unpredictable captain behind him.

* * *

"Dammit…" Summer groaned as she regained consciousness. She brought a hand to her head in an attempt to rub away the forming headache. She sniffed the air and tensed just a little.

_'At least it's familiar.' _She cracked open an eye and immediately closed it.

_'Stupid medical lights…'_

"Don't move around too much or your bandages will loosen." A voice told her. She opened them again and looked to the source.

"Liam." She said, giving a small smile in reply. She rubbed her eyes trying to see him more clearly. He sat in the stool next to the bed with a magazine in his hand. He grinned at her and closed the paper.

"You were pretty scratched up when Captain found you. We were all worried."

"Law found me?"

"Yeah, it was pretty late at night when you came running through the forest like that." He stood up and walked closer, inspecting the tight bandages on her torso. Glancing down, she found she was still in the skimpy Kuja outfit. The white cloth wrapped closely to her breasts and she suddenly became very self-conscious. She covered her stomach and looked away with a blush.

"U-um, who did my bandages?" The medic glanced up at her face, opening his mouth to answer.

"I did."

Summer frowned as she turned her head to the familiar voice. Law strode into the room wearing his damned smirk with his hands in his pockets. Liam straightened and waited for orders as the captain approached. Law nodded towards him.

"You may go."

"Aye, Captain." Liam scurried away out the door, leaving Law and a glowering Summer in the infirmary.

The two remained silent; Law hoping she would be the first to speak and Summer praying that he would just go away. It was a battle of wits and both were evenly armed. To Law's pleasure, she broke first.

"I swear to god, if you took off this outfit to put on the bandages-"

"I didn't." She visibly relaxed; satisfied that she at least had some dignity left to her. However, Law continued to smirk down at her.

"Although, I have to say that look rather suits you…" A pang of irritation shot through her as his grin grew wider.

_"_Shut up!" She said crossing her arms in front of her to try to cover her chest though all it did was push her breasts closer together. She looked away so he wouldn't see her blush.

_'Damn pirate captain…'_

He chuckled quietly before moving away to Luffy's bedside. He worked in silence while Summer stared into his back. She was sure he felt her intense gaze, but he gave no sign of it.

"Why were you gone so long?" He asked suddenly, not turning around from his position. She frowned as she talked to his back.

"Those Kuja idiots brought me along for the 'grand tour' of the island. It turned out to be a really boring history lesson." She grumbled, rolling her eyes.

He turned back to look at her, his eyes hard with anger. "You were gone six hours. Explain how a tour of a village that small takes that long."

She sighed at his insistence. "They took me around and insisted I meet every single one of them. Then they explained every important thing that _ever_ happened to them. Which, by the way, is a ridiculously long list." Law listened intently, as if waiting for her to lie to him. "After that, they took me to get new weapons. Speaking of which, where are they?"

Law nodded towards the side table where all four daggers rested. She released another sigh of relief.

"Good. I was worried I had lost them."

"So, what made you return?" He turned to face her finally, crossing his arms like hers were. She looked away.

"They told me once I joined them I couldn't leave. They kept saying it was for my own protection, but I don't need their damn _protection._" She refused to look Law in the eye. "I don't need anyone's protection. I can take care of myself."

_'No you can't.' _She frowned at her own thoughts.

_'You know what, little voice? You can shut the hell up now, thanks.' _Somehow, she was able to look back up and meet his gaze.

Law didn't say anything as he stared at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. There were too many emotions going through his eyes.

"Then, what are you so afraid of?"

He watched as her eyes became blank, but she remained silent. Her entire body became closed off, a mental defense mechanism. Their breathing and the mechanic beeps were the only sound in the room.

His smirk returned despite his inability to get information from her. Her stubbornness wouldn't be swayed this time. There were plenty of chances for getting her to talk in the future. He walked away from her, facing away from her as he spoke.

"You are not to leave that bed until I'm satisfied that your cuts won't become infected. I'll have someone bring you lunch a little later." Again, she didn't answer.

He could feel her stare until he shut the door behind him.

* * *

A/N-I wanted to make it longer, but nothing would come out of my freakin' head! D:

Anyways, you know the drill! Please review and PM me with suggestions if you have them, they are greatly appreciated!

Oh yeah! Don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile! I would love to know what you think! :)

See you in the next chapter! (Hopefully sooner than later.) :o


	11. My Past is My Future

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

So...I love you guys so much I sat down for awhile and hammered this little chapter out right after I posted Chapter 10, just for you! I realize that Summer's past is still super shady, but I promise I'm trying my best to make it come to light while at the same time not dumping it all on you in one chapter! Be patient, my lovelies.

Bepo plushie for everyone! If I could afford it...

For those of you who have not already, please vote in the poll on my profile to let me know what you guys think I should do with Summer!

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**-Very evil, sadistic things. Like scrubbing the submarine bathroom for a week. :)

Onwards!

* * *

_*16 Years Ago*_

"…Every morning you greet me

Small and white, clean and bright

You look happy to meet me!"

The children sang as they ran around the edge of the forest. They were smartly dressed, just come out of church. Most of them carried small flowers or wore them in their hair in the girls' case. They laughed as they sang, chasing each other in happy circles.

One of the boys stopped and messed up his brown hair. He kneeled down and rubbed dirt all over his face. He stood up and roared loudly.

"Roooaaarrrr! I'm the scary monster girl! I'm gonna eat you!" The children shrieked with laughter, running away from the small boy in mock fear. He chased them with clawed hands, roaring as loud as he could.

He caught one of the girls and tackled her onto the grass. "I'm gonna eat you! You're gonna die!" He shouted as he tickled her. She cried in laughter, squirming on the ground in her pale blue dress and pigtails.

Another little girl, this one much dirtier than the rest stood silently behind a nearby tree. She watched with one wide eye as she hid behind the great oak. The game they played made her sad, but she didn't have anyone to play with. They looked like they were having fun.

_'I'm scared…'_ She thought as she watched the others play. She looked behind her at the dark forest.

_'…but I'm lonely.'_ Working up her courage, she pushed away from the tree and stepped out into the clearing.

The kids didn't notice her at first. They were too busy laughing as the younger boy chased them and her approach was so quiet.

"U-um…hello." She said weakly. They others stopped playing at the noise and turned to look at her. The silence was thick, and the girl shifted nervously from foot to foot, her arms held behind her as she looked at her feet.

The children's' minds took in her tattered brown dress and dirty bare feet. Her blonde hair was tangled and unwashed. Large violet eyes reflected sadness and hope when she looked up at them.

"U-um…can I play too?" Her small voice asked.

That was when the screaming started.

"Aah! It's the real monster!"

"Run away!"

"She's gonna eat us!"

The girl's eyes widened as the others ran away in fear. She took a step forwards, reaching out to them.

"W-wait! Please!" The screams grew louder and the noise began to attract other people to the scene. Adults began to run towards them, but stopped when they saw her tiny figure. Their anger was plainly visible.

"Demon child! Go back to the woods where you belong!" A farmer with his pitchfork said. He slowly approached her, pointing the sharp prongs at her. She trembled in fear and stumbled backwards. The children's parents were now there, holding their young to them.

"I-I j-just wanted…to play…" She answered weakly.

"Don't lay a hand on my son, you evil creature!" One of the mothers shouted.

"I'm not a monster!" She defended weakly.

"Kill her!"

"Burn her like she burned her parents!"

The shouting grew into a riot as all the villagers soon began to join the group. Voices demanded her death, most in gruesome ways. The crowd slowly approached, pushing her back into the woods. Many of them now carried makeshift weapons ranging from long kitchen knives to tree branches found on the ground.

The girl's lip quivered as she struggled to suppress her tears. Her vision became blurry and she turned and ran back into the forest. No one followed her.

Soon the shouts of the villagers were no longer all she could hear. Her crying became louder and she sat down by a large rock. Hugging her knees to her chest, she started to wail.

_'Why do they do this to me?'_

_ 'Why do they hate me?'_

Her elbow and legs hurt. She looked down and saw bloody scrapes across her pale skin. The cuts were covered in dirt, which only served to make her cry harder.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but the sky quickly grew dark and her stomach began to rumble. She wasn't very bothered, she was always hungry. Telling herself she had to go check the little traps she had made, and that she had to wash off her dirty wounds, she looked up and sniffed a few times. Wiping her wet eyes and nose, she picked herself up and trudged towards her makeshift shelter by the pond.

Towards home.

* * *

_*Present Day*_

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Gekko Moriah has arrived, as per your request." The courier saluted and stood at attention in front of the great man's desk. Sengoku nodded slowly in response.

"Send him in." He replied bitterly. The young man nodded and scurried away, presumably to retrieve the Shichibukai. Sengoku rubbed his temple with one hand, sighing deeply at the thought of meeting with the Soul Stealer. He toyed with the corners of the wanted poster on his desk.

Dealing with any of the pirate Warlords was always uncomfortable to the Fleet Admiral. He hated pirates, especially the ones he himself had appointed to cooperate with the World Government. Those with the most power were never to be trusted. Pirates lived for double crossing on bargains and deals. It was inevitable part of their way of life.

The doors opened to reveal the large white-skinned man. He was frowning, obviously not pleased to be summoned into the office of the highest-sitting marine. He sauntered in and took a seat in the chair facing Sengoku.

"I don't appreciate being summoned into your damn office, Sengoku. What is it you want?" Sengoku said nothing for a moment before pushing the wanted poster towards the pirate. He looked down curiously, voicing his confusion.

"I know who she is, what about her?" Sengoku sighed once again, leaning forwards in his chair and linking his hands together with his elbows resting on the desk.

"She recently escaped from Impel Down prior to the War of the Best. Her release into the public brings great danger to the people of the world." Moriah scoffed in his chair waving his hands as if to dismiss his claim.

"I could care less about the people's safety, Sengoku. The responsibilities attached to my title mean nothing to me." Sengoku frowned, angered by the pirate's frame of mind, but he forced himself to let it go this time.

"Regardless, something must be done about her." Moriah frowned again.

"Why not call up one of your Vice-Admirals or higher-ups instead of taking up my own time and energy? I don't care what happens either way. It's none of my concern anyway."

"It damn well could be!" Sengoku said, slamming his hand down on the table. This conversation was getting him nowhere. Regaining his composure with a deep breath, he twined his fingers together once again. "The Marines don't have the resources to take her on. She is stronger than she may seem."

"What is it you want with me, Sengoku? Get to the point." Sengoku closed his eyes, giving himself one last chance to back out of his plan. Obviously, Moriah wasn't interested in what he wanted, but he would deal with that later.

"Your Kage Kage no Mi is our only weapon against her power."

"She has no devil fruit, so what do you mean? Surely you marines can take care of a little girl with a few daggers?" The Fleet Admiral shook his head slowly.

"You are underestimating her. It's not a devil fruit that gives her power, it's something else entirely, which is why we need your help."

* * *

A/N-The song Summer remembers is Edelweiss and I do not own it!

Pretty sure you already know this, but Kage Kage no Mi=Shadow Shadow Fruit! :)

Yes, I realize that Moriah is supposedly 'killed off' by Doflamingo and is no longer a Shichibukai after the war, but let's just pretend that I have a creative license (and a little sanity) and am allowed to alter things a little!

Hmm...what does the Fleet Admiral have up his sleeve? And what does Moria have to do with it, you ask? I won't tell you yet.

Dun dun duuunnnn!

Oh, how I love witholding information! And cliffhangers! ^_^ Suffering readers is what I live for! *cue maniacal laugh*

Hopefully you don't hate me now! I still love you all!

Please review and PM me with any suggestions you may have! I would love you forever!

See you in the next chapter!


	12. Pray the Lord Her Soul to Take

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Hello again, my lovelies! :D I'm back, yet again, with another wonderful chapter for your eyes to read! Apparently, you guys don't like cliffhangers! :o

Now, why ever would you say that? ;)

My goodness, you guys are so demanding! I had to post another chapter today just to keep you happy. I was seriously considering not posting for a week just to see what kind of hate-mail I received, but to spare my PM inbox, I have relented and updated yet again! :)

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**-Well, I do believe you will find out in this chapter. And I gift you a thousand cookies for voting! ^_^

**Vivianne95**-Well, cliffhangers are there for a reason you know. To let me make you suffer of course! I'm no meanie! I just love to cause psychological pain! :)

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan**-Yes, people can really suck. But do realize that they fear Summer for a pretty legitimate reason (I guess). You will see why in this chapter! :)

Onwards! :)

* * *

Summer jolted awake, blinking her eyes rapidly in confusion. She coughed violently from the suddenly dusty air. The entire infirmary was a wreck; a giant hole was all that was left of the ceiling and the medical equipment that had been attached to Luffy was crushed and broken. Her eyes widened.

_'Luffy…'_

The boy was gone, most likely through the gaping hole in the roof. There was no one else in the room with her.

"ACE!" She heard outside of the sub. Outside, yelling men and destruction of what she assumed was the surrounding trees filled the air. She knew Law probably wouldn't want her to leave the bed, but at this point she didn't much care. Throwing off the thin blanket covering her, she swung over and landed on her feet.

"Ah…" Her knees buckled beneath her and she fell hard onto the floor. Her limbs still weren't fully recovered from her run through the forest. Everything hurt. "Dammit…" She muttered.

Forcing herself into a kneeling position, she breathed in and out slowly, preparing for the length of floor to the door. Now that she needed to struggle to get to it, it seemed so far away. Taking one more deep breath she got on her hands and knees and began to crawl with agonizing slowness to the infirmary door.

Each stretch of her arm and lift of her legs brought pain and strained her stiff joints. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forward despite the effort it took to make it only a few feet.

What seemed to be ages later, she reached up and turned the handle, watching as the door swung open into the hallway. She continued on her knees, trying her best to ignore the now loose bandages around her knees. Again, the hallway seemed to go on forever. She cursed everything she could think of, glaring at the door such a distance away.

_'Stupid submarine…Stupid Pirates…Stupid idiot Kuja…'_

Her injured knee, now fully exposed to the floor, scraped harshly against the worn metal.

"Shit." She said under her breath. Lifting her leg so it wouldn't drag across the ground, she continued forward somewhat awkwardly.

Eventually reaching the door, she realized that the commotion outside had died down. She could no longer hear the agonized screams of Luffy as he searched for his dead brother. Making her way to the main hatch, she threw it open with great effort and glanced at her surroundings.

The clearing was a disaster; trees were cut in half and scattered around on the grass, debris from the ship lay on the shore nearby, men were knocked to the ground unconscious, at least she hoped. The alternative was not something she wanted to think about. Liam was one of them, after all.

Law stood with Jinbe, who took off into the forest immediately after she came outside. Shachi and Penguin were trying to wake those on the ground nearby and Summer made her way over to them. The pain was somewhat bearable as she reached the soft grass.

"Summer-Chan!" Penguin exclaimed as he spotted her coming closer. Shachi looked up as well and both men ran over to her side, helping her onto her feet. She nodded in appreciation, too tired to stubbornly reply that she didn't need any help.

"Are you alright?" She nodded again. Looking around, she asked the question that had been on her mind since she woke up.

"What happened?"

"Strawhat woke up in a frenzy! He blew a hole in the sub and took off into the woods. He kept screaming his brother's name." The engineers walked her over to a spot of shade and sat her down. She found her breathing was ragged after all of that work to get outside.

"That fishman went after him to calm him down." Penguin added. They sat down on either side of her.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked, scared to hear the answer. To her relief, they grinned in reply.

"Oh yeah, we're fine! It'll take more than a little roughing up to take us down." She couldn't help but smile in return, grateful that no one had died or gotten seriously injured. It then dawned on her that she had actually been the one in the most danger, being so close to him when he exploded through the ceiling of the submarine.

Bepo came wandering over to her and sat down as well. "Are you alright, Summer? Your knee is bleeding." She looked down and saw her exposed knee soaked in her blood.

"Oh, I didn't even notice." It was true. Her struggle through the halls of the submarine had been agony but she didn't even feel the blood seeping from the wound. Taking a strip of bandage from her arm, she quickly covered the bleeding limb and bound it tightly, grimacing as the pressure brought another stab of pain.

"No, that's too tight." Penguin said, taking the cloth in his hands. "Here, let me do it." He undid the bandage and rewrapped it much looser than she had tied it.

"Thank you." She said, a small smile gracing her lips. Penguin blushed and looked away, pulling his hat farther down his face.

"W-well, ya know…I-it's nothing." She chuckled quietly, amused by his shyness. She patted his leg in affection. She laughed harder when his nose began to bleed and he froze up. Shachi looked pretty depressed, watching her give such a kind treatment to his friend. She grinned as he sighed deeply.

"Thank you, both of you, for helping me." Turning to him, she held his chin in her hand and planted a small kiss on his cheek. To her delight, he froze up and began to bleed from his nose as well.

"W-wha…?" He stuttered. Both fell over in surprise and Summer brought a hand to cover her mouth. She giggled loudly, and Bepo smiled down at her. She was only messing around, but the rational side of her brain decided that now was a great time to butt in.

_'This is a mistake. Don't become attached.'_ Internally, she frowned in anger.

_'Let me have a little fun in my life. I'm tired of being lonely.'_

Another figure came near her. She looked up into the cold eyes of a certain pirate captain. Just as she expected, he was not happy. Her smile quickly faded away.

"What, may I ask, are you doing out of bed, Summer-ya?" He practically growled. His hand gripped his nodachi tightly in what Summer knew to be restrained anger. She glared back in irritation.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." She said sarcastically. "Well, I figured the old infirmary was a bit boring so I decided on a change of scenery." She crossed her arms, not caring that she was pushing her limit with his patience. She, frankly, hadn't liked his attitude after he had found her and she was still bitter about it. His eyes narrowed in disapproval.

"I don't appreciate your tone of voice, Miss Summer." She shrugged with lack of concern. He gestured to his two incapacitated engineers.

"And please, refrain from fraternizing with my crew like that." He turned his back on her and walked away, leaving a seething Summer behind him.

_'Fraternizing!? Damn him…' _Once he was out of earshot, she cursed him under her breath. Bepo placed a paw on her shoulder, a comforting gesture.

"Don't worry about the captain. He was just worried about you." She scoffed.

"Him? Worried about me? Hell would sooner freeze over than him caring for my safety." Regardless of her ill words, she instinctively patted Bepo's paw in reassurance that she was fine.

Except, she wasn't fine.

The thought of how quickly she had settled in with the Heart Pirates frightened her. She couldn't afford to care about a group of people like that. Her memories kept reminding her why.

Visions of _his_ face appeared in her mind and she shook her head to rid of them. Once she was fully healed, she would ditch the pirate crew and continue on her quest to get stronger. She wasn't going to let him control her life out of fear any longer.

_'You will die by my hand, you bastard. Just wait and see.'_

* * *

_*Marine Headquarters*_

"Her body possesses two souls."

Sengoku watched as Moriah's expression turned into one of confusion.

"How is that possible? I've had nothing to do with this girl." He crossed his arms defensively, as if the Fleet Admiral were accusing him of being the cause.

"The second soul she possesses is that of an ancient female warrior known as Nemesis." He leaned back in his chair. "She was a fearsome fighter, excellent on the battlefield, and a strategist at heart. At least, that's what the texts from that time period described her as."

"Time period? How long ago did she live?" This story was continuing to get stranger and stranger…

"Over 350 years ago. It is said that she was betrayed by her lover. She vowed her vengeance but died soon afterwards without following through on it." Moriah shook his head.

"So what does that have to do with the girl?" Sengoku frowned at the interruption.

"You didn't let me finish. Nemesis requested a sacred ritual be done to bind her soul to the earth for eternity until she vanquished her target. Unfortunately, her lover, Iapetus, had the same thing in mind."

"It is said that she inhabits the body of a newborn every generation. When the host body perishes, she is reborn in the body of another who was conceived at the exact moment of the previous host's death."

"How do you know all of this is even true? It sounds an awful lot like a fairy tale told to kids to make them behave if you ask me." Moriah moved to stand but Sengoku held out a hand.

"I assure you everything I am telling you is the truth. Just bear with me." The soul stealer reluctantly sat down again, sighing in frustration. This little story was taking an awfully long time.

"We know the cycle exists because it is described in the Poneglyphs." Sengoku could see the question forming in the larger man's eyes and answered it before he could ask. "We also know she currently resides in the Red Hunter because her power was unleashed on a small island's village when the girl was born. Hundreds were killed, the girl's parents included. Most of the village went down in flames."

"Why wasn't she killed when the people realized it was the newborn?" Sengoku sighed as well, this time in exhaustion. The time was really slipping away.

"The girl had an older sister, Madelyn, who survived the destruction. At the time, she didn't know that her sister was the one who had caused the incident, so the two hid in the woods to escape the village's anger."

"It took several years for the girl to figure it out. There are reports that the Red Hunter killed Madelyn when she found out, but we can't be certain at this point."

"The girl became old enough to fend for herself in the forest. When she was 17, she took to the seas as a bandit. We eventually caught her and locked her in Impel Down in hopes of keeping her alive for as long as possible to keep Nemesis locked away from the world."

"Now that she's escaped, the soul will continue to look for her target. This poses a great danger to the public."

"Is the girl able to control this power?" The Shichibukai asked curiously, stroking his chin in thought. The Fleet Admiral shook his head.

"No. As far as we know, she doesn't even know about Nemisis' soul inside of her. We have no idea what triggers her emergence either." The Fleet Admiral finished, looking to Moriah in anticipation.

The man's interest was certainly piqued. Having such a soul in his collection may well be worth the trouble of finding her. Of warrior of such prowess was sure to be feared once again in the flesh. He could feel the Fleet Admiral's gaze on him and he grinned back at him.

"So, you want me to find the girl and rip this warrior's soul right out of her? That I can do." Sengoku narrowed his eyes.

"You are to destroy Nemisis' soul completely. She is too dangerous to be kept on the earth any longer. Her vendetta against Iapetus is bound to cause collateral damage. Do I make myself clear?" Moriah glared at this. He stood up swiftly.

"I will find the girl and take this warrior's soul, but what I do with it is my own business. It's pretty clear I'm the only one who can help you, so either I receive her soul as payment or you can continue to watch as she wreaks havoc in the world."

The Fleet Admiral was visibly upset by this, breathing hard and closing his eyes tightly, but he skillfully mastered his emotions with a deep breath. Frowning deeply, he opened his eyes and reluctantly nodded.

"Fine. Just get rid of her."

All he got in response was the slamming of his office door.

* * *

A/N-Hopefully you guys didn't think I totally went off the wall with Summer's character. I don't want to make her OP but at the same time I want her to be interesting and a strong lead.

Yes, I know that Nemesis and Iapetus, (the actual Greek representations) probably had nothing to do with each other, but I once again play my creative license card to save my butt!

Please let me know what you think with a review or PM me any suggestions! I would love to hear them!

So...was Law angry because she was out of bed or because he was...jealous? :o You can believe what you want! ^_^

Lastly, please vote in the poll on my profile, I would love to know what you think!

Thank you, lovelies, for reading another chapter of mine. I sincerely love you all.

See you in the next chapter! :D


	13. What is Love?

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Hello once again!

This chapter took me a long time to tweak because I was not overall happy with Summer's character. In fact, I may still rework it at a later time. But anyway, enough of that!

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**-I will be sure to check it out! :)

I am really hoping you liked the last chapter and the way this story is progressing. I'm having a lot of fun just writing it! :)

Onwards!

* * *

They were leaving. The last of the supplies had been brought aboard. Repairs on the sub had been done and double checked, and then triple checked. Once Shachi and Penguin were satisfied that the integrity of the hull would last them the rest of their journey, they gave the all clear to set sail. No one waited on the shore to send them off, which came as no surprise.

Once again, Summer found herself stuck in the same damned infirmary bed with orders to stay there unless she wanted any further injuries. Once again, she was wrapped in fresh bandages and told not to move. She begrudgingly stayed put, knowing that her body would suffer long term consequences if she continued to push herself. Even if there was a good reason, she wasn't happy with it.

The descent into the ocean was rather bumpy, but Liam, who stayed in the infirmary to keep her company, explained that this was normal. It was unsettling to Summer, who felt like the entire vessel would break apart or something while they were underwater. The instruments on the metal side tables rattled loudly and the medical light above her swayed from side to side. She found herself gripping the sides of the bed tighter than necessary, but couldn't find it in her to let go.

Liam caught this and chuckled lightly. He reached out a laid a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough." The sub gave another lurch as it went deeper into the ocean, and she gritted her teeth.

"I don't understand how anyone can get used to this."

Eventually, the rough sailing passed and the sub returned to normal. Summer relaxed after that, letting go of the railing and silently thankful for Liam's presence beside her.

The room was enveloped in a comfortable silence.

"I'm glad you came back to us, you know." Liam scratched the back of his head bashfully, not meeting her eyes. "I was a little worried you would leave the crew."

His admission caught her off guard. She blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I-I think…that you belong here, you know. We all…all of us…want you to stay." His blush intensified, his cheek now a deep red.

She looked away. The thought of leaving had crossed her mind on multiple occasions. Several times she had convinced herself to stay on the island. Thinking back now, the choice was obvious, but back then, the idea had certainly sounded tempting.

Out of the corner of her eye she glanced at Liam's uncertain expression, as if afraid his very words would break her. She hadn't thought her absence would have such a strong effect on the little crew.

_'They grew attached to you and now there's nothing you can do about it. Do you want them to get hurt?'_

It was then she realized that at this point, whether she stayed or left them behind, she would be causing them pain. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. Her eyes began to tear up, and surprisingly, she didn't care. Somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscious screamed at her to uphold her promise, but she found herself exhausted, worn, spent.

_'I've done it again…'_

Memories of her past came to her unbidden.

The dead faces of Mr. Porter and his family staring at her in blame, her sister's dead body at the feet of _Him_, all of the villages she had unknowingly brought destruction to by her presence alone. They all remained in her mind.

Summer struggled to choke back a sob and Liam immediately apologized.

"H-hey, no don't cry. I'm sorry if I said something…you didn't want to hear. I'll just...go now." He sighed at his own stupidity.

_'Stop hurting other people!' _Summer mentally yelled at herself. She grabbed his jumpsuit sleeve when he made to stand and walk away. He turned back with pain written on his face. Pain she had, yet again, caused.

"N-no, it's not your fault. I just…" A sob escaped her and she found herself crying for the first time in as long as she could remember. She scrubbed her face in vain to stop the wetness. "Please, I just...don't want to hurt you..."

He frowned slightly in confusion. "What are you talking about? You're not hurting us." She nodded vehemently.

"Y-yes I am…I made you all worry about me a-and…and-"He grabbed hold of her shoulders and gently shook her.

"Summer, you aren't hurting us. We love having you onboard. Did you honestly think we blamed you for our worry?" She nodded again, sniffing loudly. He shook his head and chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked miserably. He gently brought her hands out of her face and she felt her head being tilted up. His rough thumb wiped away the tears on her face. Her wide eyes took in his smiling face.

"It's just funny that you think you're causing us all pain. That's pretty stupid to think, baka." He poked her in the head. She blinked rapidly to stop crying, using the bandages on her arms to dry her face.

In the short week she had known Liam, he had changed so much. He was no longer the frightened gentleman she had first met. He voiced his opinions much more often, and Summer found herself thankful for the change.

"No one blames you for anything, we want you to stay. How many times do I have to say it?" She stared wide eyed at his smiling face.

For once, her conscious had nothing to say on the matter.

_'Wants me to stay…'_

_ 'Don't blame me…'_

_ 'Love…'_

Love.

* * *

Summer didn't answer Liam, instead she stared blankly out in front of her, her lips barely parted. He frowned in concern, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Uh…Summer?" She didn't respond, didn't even blink. Liam looked around, unsure of how to fix her.

"Summer?" No response. He resorted to waiting it out and hoping she would eventually snap out of it.

* * *

_'Love?'_

_'Love does not exist.'_

_'Then what does?'_

_'Jealousy. Lust. Hatred.'_

_'I don't see any of that in this crew.'_

_'These are the things beneath the surface, beneath what can be detected. But they are there. You know they are.'_

_'No.'_

_'Humans are vicious creatures, devoid of sympathy. Remember, years ago?'_

_'Don't talk about it! Of course I remember!'_

_'Do not trust them.'_

_'Liam was telling the truth. I know he was!'_

_'Humans lie, decieve, manipulate. It is their nature.'_

_'I don't believe that.'_

* * *

Liam reluctantly picked up a nearby magazine to pass the time. As he read he glanced up at Summer occasionally, noting that her expression never changed.

_'Should I get the captain?' _He shook his head.

Her breathing was normal and he saw no outward signs of a seizure. People couldn't slip into a coma sitting up with their eyes open, and she certainly hadn't died. Shrugging in resignation, he went back to his reading.

* * *

_ 'You can't tell them.'_

_ 'He said love. They're different.'_

_ 'If it even does exist, how do you know it is real love?'_

_ 'His eyes told me. I can trust them.'_

_ 'No. You will only kill them in the end.'_

_ 'I'm tired of running.'_

_ 'Running is how you survive.'_

_ 'I don't want to survive! I want to live!'_

_ 'You must not let them distract you.'_

_ 'They can help me become stronger.'_

_ 'Don't do it.'_

_ 'To hell with you!'_

_ 'This is a mistake.'_

_ 'I've made my decision.'_

_ 'Decisions co__me at a price. Are you willing to pay it?'_

* * *

Liam quickly looked up when movement caught his eye. Her head turned to him and he saw the clarity return to her bright eyes. "L-Liam?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly, not sure what exactly what to do.

"Ah!" He said in surprise as she launched forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing so tight he struggled to breathe. "S-Summer?" He asked hesitantly.

Her response was to squeeze tighter. "Thank you." He heard her whisper. He grinned and wrapped his own arms around her small figure.

* * *

Law stood in the navigation room with Bepo, directing the course away from that damned island of women. The polar bear occasionally adjusted a dial or twisted a knob. Satisfied that he was no longer needed, he returned to his own quarters.

Closing the door behind him, he leaned his nodachi against the wall and placed his hat on the table with his medical books. The stack was outrageously large; numerous were open to random pages and his notes were scattered about the table. He didn't mind the clutter, so he left it as it was.

Running a hand through his unruly hair, he stretched his stiff limbs. He stretched out on his bed, the soft, black comforter a welcome relief to his tired body. His rest was short-lived, however, as a knock at his door brought a glare to his face.

"Come in." He called, silently cursing whoever lay behind the door. To his surprise, Liam entered a moment later. The medic looked a little flustered and Law recalled he had been assigned to watch Summer. Something told him she had been the cause of it. For some reason, he didn't like the ideas that came with that train of thought. He stood up from the bed and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Captain, Summer asked to speak with you. She said it was important." Law's irritation faded in an instant.

"Thank you. You may go now." Liam nodded and he exited the room. Law smirked widely, knowing full well what it was the girl wanted to talk about. He grabbed his hat, leaving his sword behind deciding that now she was willing to talk he didn't want to scare her back into silence. He had waited long enough already.

He wanted answers.

* * *

A/N-Law's about to be a happy man...

Summer's state of emotion and internal struggles are a major part of this story (if you haven't caught on already.) Sometimes I feel like I rely too heavily on that aspect and miss vital pieces elsewhere so please tell me what you think.

Please review and PM me suggestions you have, I would love to hear them! I will see you in the next chapter! :)


	14. His Deal With the Devil

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

I'm sorry for taking so long! D: Work has been killer and this chapter was difficult to get exactly how I wanted it since it was so critical to the story. Hopefully you guys are satisfied with how it turned out, I'm not sure just how well I portrayed her past. Please, critique this chapter to hell if you want.

**Shingingheart of ThunderClan-**Unfortunately (for whom I'm not sure), I've made it where she is not aware of the second soul that currently talks to her. :) Although Summer's relative isolation during her childhood allowed her to think that talking with herself like that is a normal thing. She doesn't know any other way. As far as she knows, its just herself sort of voicing her own thoughts in her head (if that made any sense whatsoever...)

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**-Well, if she had lost with herself that would be a little unsettling... :)

This chapter switches between POV's so I have marked what sections are who's perspective for your convenience. :)

Onwards!

* * *

_*Summer's POV*_

Summer sat cross-legged on the infirmary bed, breathing deeply to calm her heartbeat down. The room seemed unusually cold and unfriendly. Summer covered her eyes with her hands in frustration.

_'Oh god, what am I doing?'_

She was about to tell the second most sadistic individual she had ever met about her past and she was even telling herself not to back out of it! Sure, a part of her told her this was a shitty idea, but deep down she was tired of the endless fear of the unknown and of that bastard she was hunting-and being hunted by.

_'I will kill you. But I have to get stronger.'_

Forcing her hands away from her face, she schooled her features and closed her eyes in a sort of meditation. Her fingers unconsciously kneaded her temple, trying to work the growing headache out of her mind. It would do no good to become worked up before Law even got in the room.

_'Calm down, just calm down. You can do this…'_

The infirmary door opened softly and her eyes snapped open. She stared as the Surgeon of Death strode into the room, hands in his pockets and that damned smirk on his face. His grin was met with her frown, and she crossed her arms in front of her without realizing it. Law grabbed the stool next to the bed, sitting in it backwards comfortably. He rested his chin on his crossed arms, his grin widening. His silence was insufferable.

"Don't act all high and mighty. Your damn ego is big enough already." Summer said with a scowl to which he chuckled darkly.

"You are the one who called me here, Miss Summer. I do believe that is my victory." She looked away.

"Whatever, can we just get this over with?" She could feel his smirk widen without having to look.

"I'm waiting on you, Miss Summer." She could hear the satisfaction in his voice, but suddenly she was too nervous to really care. A deep sigh escaped her and her shoulders sagged a little in defeat.

"Where to begin?" She muttered.

"Most tales start at the beginning." He commented, earning a glare from the girl.

"You aren't making this any easier, you know." His amused expression never changed.

"I'm aware." She shook her head, sighing in disbelief.

_'Asshole…'_

"Why don't you just ask me specific questions. I'll answer what I can."

"Fair enough. You are 23 years old, correct?"

"Yes."

"Where were you born?" She closed her eyes in sorrow, mentally preparing for the onslaught of memories to begin.

* * *

_*Law's POV*_

"Terra Nova* Island. It's somewhere on the Grand Line." Her eyes hesitantly opened again and her hands rubbed her arms, whether to warm her cold limbs or because it was a nervous reaction Law couldn't be sure.

"Any siblings?" At his question, her violet eyes took on a faraway look, as if she was envisioning a memory.

"A sister, but she's dead. She died when I was six." Her eyes were still averted, but Law continued anyway.

"What of your parents?" Once again, she shook her head.

"I don't know exactly." He frowned in irritation.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him again.

"I never met them; I don't know who they are, I don't even know their names." That faraway look returned and Law came to the conclusion that this girl's past was not a happy one. Whatever it was that she had experienced had obviously affected her and remained with her all her life.

_'Just like me...' _Law broke out of his thoughts when she continued speaking.

"All I know is that they died in some horrible incident or something. Nobody really talked about it much."

He couldn't see how any more information down that path would be beneficial at the moment, so he moved onto more pressing topics. Law finally asked the question that had been bothering him since Bepo told him of her fears. "Who are you running from?"

She hesitated to answer, probably doubting whether telling him was still a good idea, but she sucked in a breath after the prolonged silence.

"His name is Viper. He's the captain of the Serpent Pirates."

Law frowned. He didn't recognize the name, but from her fear of him, he assumed the man was powerful. Summer's dazed expression quickly turned to one of pure hatred. "He's a bastard to the very core, worse than you, believe it or not." His frown deepened but he kept his anger in check. He would get back at her for the comment at a later time.

"And how did you find yourself entangled with him?" He wasn't surprised to find her scowl deepen and the fists sitting on her legs clench tighter.

"When I was seven, I left Terra Nova. All I wanted to do was get away so I was pretty reckless. At the first island I landed on, I ran out of food. I resorted to thieving and of all the people to steal from it was him.

"At first, he dismissed me with a punch to the face. But for some reason, the next second he was looking at me really weird and ordering his crew to take me. I still don't know why he did." She shook her head sadly.

Law noticed the unease seemed to be slowly giving way to what he identified as relief, as if breaking her silence was a physical reprieve. Her breathing was easier. There were no hesitations in her answers anymore and he could see the glisten of unshed tears in her eyes. The hidden emotions she tried to keep away from the world's eyes.

"At first it almost seemed like a blessing. I had food and a place to be for the time I sailed with them, but then they took me to this crazy doctor on some island. He did lots of experiments and kept me there for a long time. I'm not sure how long I really stayed. I would be given back to Viper several times, then returned to the lab. Viper was payed everytime I was taken back."

"Who was this doctor?" Law asked thinking that perhaps, despite the apparent improbability, he could get a hold of whatever file contained her medical records. He had already come to the conclusion that what she said would not provide him with enough information to sate his growing curiosity.

To his disappointment, she shook her head in irritation. "I don't know. It was so long ago and I never really cared to ask for his damn name. I remember the cold though. It was so damn cold." A shiver visibly went down her spine. She calmed herself down with a deep breath. "It was after that that I started to attempt escaping from Viper."

"How many times did you try?" She shrugged, deeming it unimportant.

"Maybe...12 or 13 times. I never counted."

He sighed tiredly, changing the subject to something more telling.

"How did you end up in Impel Down?" He watched her shift uncomfortably and unconsciously he shifted as well. He really didn't know why.

"It was after one time I had managed to escape from Viper. I was in hiding on Orchard Island and I was ambushed by a whole fleet of marines. There was no way I could escape and they captured me." Her head tilted in thought. "But I still managed to hide all my belongings before they took me. As far as I know, it's still there." A sigh escaped her mouth. "Ah well, it's all the way in the New World."

"Hmm…" Law hummed in thought. He rubbed his goatee with a hand, eyes narrowed as he mulled over her words. Something hadn't sounded right.

"I would think a year in Impel Down would halt any pursuit this Viper was making. Are you entirely sure he's still looking for you?"

For the first time in their entire conversation, Summer looked him directly in the eyes. What he saw there was vengeful intent, determined and dangerous. Her eyes, usually a brilliant violet hue, were now clouded with cold gray. Her timidness disappeared. The nervous young woman that had been there before had changed into a cold, heartless, killing machine right before his eyes.

And he kind of liked it.

"He'll always be after me. He said it himself many years ago. 'As long as my little gem is hidden, I will be alive to seek it out.' That's what he said to me after he found me during one of my escape attempts." His eyes narrowed as a thought quickly formed and began to take shape in his mind. There was a silence as he finished forming his idea internally.

"I assume you wish to become stronger in an effort to take his life?" With a raised eyebrow, she shortly nodded her head.

His smirk returned as Law thought of a new negotiation for the young woman in front of him.

"I will help you to become stronger on my submarine and assist in killing this Viper person." He said resolutely. Her brows furrowed in anger.

"I don't need your-" He held up a hand, cutting her off.

"It is quite obvious you need my help, Miss Summer. Taking on this venture alone has not proved successful in the past if your words are correct. If it were possible to do alone, he would already be dead." She closed her mouth in anger, silenced by the evident truth to his words. Her eyes narrowed as she began to think it over.

"There's always a catch. What is it you get out of this deal?" His grin widened at her question.

"You will remain with my crew even after Viper is defeated and allow me to perform a full examination on you."

Her arms crossed her chest and she lowered her head in silence. Law waited as she looked at his proposition from all angles in deep patience. He knew she would take the deal eventually. She needed only to recognize it herself.

"It all depends on how badly you want this Viper man dead. So the question is, what would you be willing to do to achieve it?" He asked. Her deadly serious face looked up to him.

"Anything." She half whispered. Law shifted to a more comfortable position on the chair and raised his eyebrows.

"Do we have a deal, then?"

* * *

_*Summer's POV*_

Summer's eyes roamed around the room without seeing anything. This was only because she was not searching the room, but her mind. The pirate captain's proposition wasn't ideal, in fact she didn't know if the handcuff of permanent residence aboard the little yellow vessel would appeal to her. The same reason was why she had not considered Amazon Lily as an option before.

Law's examination didn't sound very appealing either. She hated anything to do with hospitals; needles especially. The thought of anyone inspecting every inch of her being was chilling to begin with. The added fact that he was the sadistic Surgeon of Death didn't do much to help matters. Who knew what his little 'examination' would consist of?

But the opportunity to finally get her revenge was all too tempting. Her hands twitched in excitement at the thought of his blood coating her weapons and his head severed from his body. Oh, the joy she would feel when he was finally dead by her own two hands! She had to clench her hands tighter to keep her emotions under control.

'_What are you willing to risk to have him dead?'_

It was then that she realized she hadn't answered Law very truthfully.

_'Will I risk anything?'_

No.

_'I will risk everything...'_

She then remembered that Law was still waiting for an answer. Despite the situation and the not-so-great deal she was being given, a small smile graced her lips.

"Yes, we have a deal."

* * *

*Terra Nova is translated roughly to New Earth! But you probably already knew that! :D

A/N-So there we have it, Summer's past from her own perspective. Please review and PM me any suggestions you may have! Fill my inbox with messages, please I beg of you! :D

And yes, the title is supposed to be that way. I am implying something, you know... *Author's attempt at subtle hint: FAIL*

I will be pleased to hear from any of you and for those of you who haven't already, please vote in the poll on my profile! Your opinion is very important to me!

And thank you for continuing to support me through all of this! I would have no motivation to write without you lovely readers! :D Cake for everyone!

See you in the next chapter! (Whenever that will be.)


	15. New Beginnings

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

I'm back with a long overdue chapter! ^_^ I'm sorry for making you wait so long, but it's here now so don't kill me!

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan**- In fact, I did give his name to you. You'll have to look back at previous chapters for that one though.

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**-It's a miracle isn't it? A female actually in the Heart Pirates. Who would've thought. ;)

**YukikoxHisoka66**-Well, thank you so much! I appreciate it!

This chapter is shorter than usual, and I apologize. I'm planning a new island arc after this one so hopefully things will get a little more interesting from here on out now that we are out of canon! :)

**Note:**I noticed that when I uploaded my chapter, it cut off the first paragraph, so I fixed it and it is now up to date! :)

Onwards!

* * *

"No! Impossible! You must be cheating!" A half naked Shachi shouted, knocking his chair over in the process, as Bepo showed the table his hand of a Royal flush. Penguin, equally unclothed, furiously threw his measly pair of sixes down onto the table in a flurry of cards, just as angry as his best friend. They stood fuming at the bear who watched innocently at their violent outburst.

"Sorry…" The bear said in apology, his head hanging low. Both men sweat dropped at the bear's depressing state.

"Ah! So easily defeated!" They said in unison.

"Hey, don't yell at Bepo." Summer ordered sternly, sitting next to the polar bear as she revealed a flush of her own. Both men fell to the floor at her cards, their faces darkening with depression.

"Not fair…"

"How is it possible?" They mumbled into the metal floor. The surrounding crewmembers who had been watching the impromptu game of poker laughed wholeheartedly at the defeated engineers. One of the mechanics for the engine room, Toby, patted Summer none too gently on the back.

"You're one hell of a poker player, Summer-chan!" Summer coughed discreetly as she gained her breath back. She turned and gave the man a timid smile.

Being officially 'inducted' into the crew had really changed Summer's experience on the little sub. Men more openly greeted her in the hallways and invited her into their entertainment. She had yet to really get used to the kindness and caring nature of everyone aboard. Nonetheless, Summer felt a weight fall off her shoulders at each wild antic the crew performed, such as the sudden poker game she found herself playing.

_"Ah! Summer-chan! Come play a game with us! You've played poker before, right?" Penguin shouted, waving at her from across the mess hall. Shachi beamed up at his friend._

_ "Oi, maybe a game of strip poker?" Shachi suggested quietly to his friend. Both men's faces took on a daydream-ish look as they envisioned the possible outcomes of such a game. Bepo, who was sitting across from them, scrunched his face up in confusion._

_ "Why do you want to play a game of strip poker? You'll lose all your clothes." The bear said innocently. Both men angrily turned on the bear._

_ "Shut up! You wouldn't understand!" They shouted. Summer had wandered over to the loud group of pirates by this time._

_ "I've played poker before." She smiled hesitantly, still unaccustomed to being fully part of the crew. Penguin closed his eyes as he smiled widely._

_ "The thing is, us Heart Pirates only play strip poker." Shachi nodded vehemently beside him._

_ "That's right! We can't just change to a normal game all of a sudden!" Summer furrowed her brows._

_ "You only play strip poker? How strange." She said quietly._

_ "So, if you want to be a fully fledged member of this pirate crew, you've gotta play a game at least once! Why not get it out of the way?" Penguin desperately tried to convince her to play, raising his eyebrows expectantly. She seemed torn._

_ "Well…I guess one game wouldn't hurt. I don't know all the different rules attached to strip poker so you might have to teach me a little bit." She said, sitting down next to the polar bear, his face still scrunched in thought. He was still wondering why the two had lied and said they always played strip poker. They never played anything other than the classic game. He assumed that this time something was different. The only difference from usual was…He perked up as he had a thought. Suddenly, his confused expression cleared up, and he smacked his fist into his paw._

_ "Ah! You want to play strip poker so Summer-chan will be naked!" The engineers glared with obvious fury at the first mate._

_ "Quiet you! Not another word!" They seethed. Summer, surprisingly, was chuckling at their antics. By this time, she was getting used to the two engineers' shocked expressions on their faces were entertaining as well._

_ "So, that's why you want to play. Alright, I can't back away from a challenge. I'll warn you though, I'm experienced with games of card so I'm not gonna go easy."_

_ "How about teams? You and Bepo versus me and Penguin?" Shachi asked. Grinning, Summer nodded her head._

_ The cards were then dealt to each player._

Catcalls erupted from the surrounding crew as the two engineers finally rose from their position on the floor. They gave each other one more miserable glance and then proceeded to take off their pants. Standing only in their underwear, the crew laughed good-naturedly at the two defeated card players.

Summer grinned evilly as she watched her conquest, gathering the cards back into the deck. The engineers sweat dropped.

_'Just as heartless as Captain…'_

Suddenly, the door to the mess hall opened and a curious Law stepped into the room. He frowned in confusion at the sight of his two undressed engineers and the gathered crowd. His gaze swept over the cards in Summer's hands and his frowned turned into a smirk.

"Shachi, Penguin." The two friends looked up in hope at their captain, obviously praying he would order the crew to quit fooling around and get back to work, anything to shorten the embarrassment of their loss.

"You've never been good at poker. Why even try?" He turned away with a dark chuckle, leaving the two lying on the floor to mumble in defeat.

"Captain's so heartless…"

"So cruel…"

"Oi! Clear out! We'll be startin' dinner shortly!" Casper shouted as the kitchen door opened. He gestured to Summer to come with him. She organized the cards, got up quickly and made her way over.

"Alright, we're makin' a beef stroganoff, so get out the pots and saucepans. Hurry now." He said, dashing off to prepare a side dish.

Summer threw on her apron and hastily tied her hair back out of her face. She quickly washed her hands in the sink and turned to the cupboards that she was so familiar with now.

_'Familiar…That's something new.'_

With her life of always being on the run and constant hiding, familiar didn't seem possible to her. Yet, as she held the tarnished sauce pan in her hand, a warm feeling developed in her chest and spread through her whole body. The sensation brought a wide smile to her face.

_'Maybe things will be better…'_

"Oi! Quit your daydreamin' and get to cookin'!" Casper gently hit his fist on her head. Shaking it to wake herself up from her thoughts, she began to prepare dinner.

* * *

Shachi finished putting on the rest of his clothing, watching as Penguin did the same next to him. The two were in their quarters, released from the embarrassing scene in the mess deck by the pitying crew.

"Who knew Summer-chan would be so good at cards." Penguin commented, to which his friend nodded.

"Yeah." The two were left to their thoughts and a silence hung over the small bedroom.

"Hey…" Shachi started after a few minutes silence. Penguin looked at him in anticipation. "Did it seem to you that Summer-chan was…I don't know…happier than she has been?" He shook his head in frustration. "No, happy isn't the right word, it's…I don't know what it is, but you know what I mean, right?"

Penguin nodded slowly in thought. "She feels…safe…I think."

"Yeah, that's it!"

"So, do you think she'll stay from now on?" Penguin asked quietly, looking at his friend in seriousness. Shachi thought about it for awhile.

_"I don't think I'll be around long enough to know."_

He smiled at his friend. "Yeah, I think so."

* * *

Casper glanced over at the girl as she silently worked. He took in the faint smile that touched her lips and grinned slightly himself. Whatever the girl was thinking of, it sure made her happy.

The captain had explained to him the girl's past a few days before. Since then, one could say he became rather protective of her, stepping in when he deemed things were getting a little too out of hand around her. Like she was the daughter he never had.

_'She deserves to be happy.'_ He focused back on the raw meat before him.

* * *

Summer walked in exhaustion to her quarters, struggling to keep her eyes open. Dinner had lasted longer than usual, as every crewmember seemed to want to recount the events that had happened before dinner. Summer, of course, was required to do the retelling. The hallways felt long but comfortable to her as she slowly made her way, coaxing her into her room.

_'My room...'_

She smiled weakly in her spent state, enjoying the return of that warm feeling from earlier. Her arms unconsciously wrapped themselves around her middle, squeezing tightly in an effort to keep the feeling with her forever.

Law had arranged a room for her after their deal, saying sternly that she took up too much space in his infirmary. Summer didn't mind the insult in his words as she had been too busy gazing at her room in wonder.

She reached her door in the darkened hallway, a tired hand slowly reaching for the door.

Upon entering, she felt the same amazement she had when she first looked at it.

The room was small. A plain bed and desk, along with a drawer and a few shelves, furnished the room. It was painted the default tan. It was smaller than any of the other men's rooms since it had been converted from a storage room. It had no personality.

Summer loved it.

A room of her own was a foreign thought. Where other children had warm beds and playrooms, she had trees and caves. Bugs and snakes. Darkness and the cold. Having a whole room in her possesion was quite possibly the greatest gift she had ever been given. Law's infuriating smirk entered her mind.

_'Not that I would tell him that...'_ Telling the man something like that would probably just inflate his already ridiculessly large ego. She shook her head to get rid of him from her mind. She returned her thoughts to her room.

All she had to do was make it feel lived in, loved, cared for. At first sight, she was already imagining what a few adjustments and personal items could do to the bland room.

It was then that she noticed she was just standing in the doorway, looking at the room instead of falling into sleep on the bed (which was much more comfortable than the infirmary ones anyway.)

Padding her way over to the bed, she dropped on top unceremoniously. Not caring that she was fully clothed, she fell asleep almost instantly.

Her dreams were quite pleasant that night.

* * *

A/N-So! Another chapter done with! What adventures await Summer now that she is officially a Heart Pirate?

As always, please review and PM me with any suggestions or comments you may have, I will be glad to answer them all! Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated!

I just recently set myself with the task of watching Naruto and Naruto Shippuden all the way through! It's taking forever! :o

Oda-sama is so cruel! Please give us Law's past! D:

Anyways, I'll see you in the next chapter! :D


	16. Silence is Golden

A/N-I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Hello again, my lovelies! I know it has been forever but work and school stuff and scheduling my wisdom teeth removal appointment has taken up all of my time. I truly apologize and hope to update this much more frequently! This story is now officially off of its Hiatus! :D

I would like to add that I have now added this story to another site, though I haven't uploaded all of the current chapter yet. It's also a great site that I recommend so PM me for more since I don't know if I'm allowed to put it up here. o.o

If you see any mistakes in my chapters, don't hesitate to write a PM saying something along the lines of "HEY! FIX YOUR DAMN SPELLING. YOUR GRAMMAR SUCKS BUTT. That is all."

**Savage Kill**-Yes, the voice in her head is the vengeful spirit. And no, Summer is not aware that the vengeful spirit resides in her. As far as she knows, her thoughts come to her as a seperate voice and she believes it to be normal. But I mean, come on. Don't we all have one? Is it just me? Oh... :/

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- She has an excellent poker face! One I wish I had! D:

**Vivianne95**- I'm trying to as frequently as I can! It's not easy! :o

**Guest**- I have been seriously debating whether I should include a small arc where Bepo meets a female bear and has to decide whether to stay with her or continue on as a Heart Pirate. That idea still needs tweaking but I want cubs just as much as you do! :D

**angryHarlequin**- Thank you so much! You rock my socks which I am conveniently wearing right now!I hope to update as soon as possible but you guys are the ones that motivate me most to keep on writing this! Without you, this story probably wouldn't have made it past chapter 3. :)

Anywho...enough of me, it's the story you _really_ want. Not me. Just my story. *Sobs in the corner*

Onwards!

* * *

_*One Week Later*_

The Heart Pirates looked around the shore of the island in confusion. Nothing but grassy fields and mosquitoes surrounded them. The island had a spring climate, much to the crew's relief. After moaning about the submarine being too hot, they were welcomed with a cool breeze and open spaces. But despite the appreciated change in atmosphere, this still posed a problem. Their supplies were running low. And there was no town in sight.

"Umm…I know the map says it's supposed to be just up ahead but, are you sure there's a city around here, Bepo?" Shachi asked, glancing over at the bear in question. Bepo furrowed his brows, raising his head and taking a long sniff of the air. He nodded.

"I can smell people and lots of buildings. It's just up here." He pointed down the dusty path leading away from the shore. It disappeared in the tall grass. Summer switched her gaze from the polar bear to Law who stood away from the group of pirates. He stared towards wherever this town was supposed to be, his eyes narrowed either in suspicion or anger. Though, if one didn't know any better, he was always angry.

"Hmm…" He hummed. After another moment staring, he suddenly turned to the men standing on the beach. "All of you have a list of supplies you are responsible for. Find them quickly and return to the sub immediately."

The men around her nodded and set out down the worn path, talking quietly to each other casually as they walked. Summer began to follow but was stopped by Law's sharp voice.

"Miss Summer." She froze mid-step and unconsciously frowned. She half turned towards him, raising an eyebrow in question. His face held no amusement.

"You will accompany me in finding medical books, if possible." His eyes were hard, locking with hers as if daring her to defy him. His intensity left her too confused to argue, and she silently nodded her head.

Law glanced at Bepo, who was watching him carefully. Once Law began walking away, Bepo and Summer fell into step a few feet behind him.

The scenery didn't change at all, and what she first thought as a pleasant countryside began to seem like a washed-out background. The tall, wheat-colored grass did nothing than attract the infuriating bugs that now seemed to love to attack Summer. Shaking her head angrily, she scowled at the small creatures.

Focusing her attention to Law's back, she looked back on the way he seemed to freeze up when they set on the island. The thought got her thinking and she turned to Bepo.

"What's his problem?" She asked in a low voice, pointing to the sadistic pirate. Bepo looked at him as well, hesitating to answer.

"He doesn't like this island. There's something…off about it." She frowned, stepping over a large rock embedded in the dusty dirt.

"Something off? Like what?" Bepo opened his mouth but was cut off by Law's sharp reply.

"It's too quiet." He said, not turning around to look at them. Summer focused on the atmosphere around her. To her surprise, there was no sound other than the soft caress of the wind on the grass. However, she was still confused.

"How is that off? We're in a field."

"A city generates a lot of noise. We are supposed to be close to one, so the absence of such noise is rather odd." The path took a sharp left and Summer could see the rest of the crew had stopped on the path ahead of them, staring at something. When she could fully see, she stopped as well.

Before them, just as the map had stated, lay a town. It was quite large, their position a few hundred feet away giving them a view of its development. The buildings were all built in an older style from light wood, and lanterns hung from several posts out on the dirt street. People could be seen milling about the street, the men in light clothing and the women in sundresses, toting children along. Nothing seemed out of place. Except for one thing.

It was silent.

Despite the number of people walking around, not one of them uttered a word. The men passed by without even a glance. Even the children were noiseless, obediently walking alongside their equally quiet mothers.

Law pushed forward to the front of the group of pirates, his eyes still narrowed. Summer could see his knuckles go white white as his grip on his sword tightened. She stepped up beside him, still gazing at the town.

"What the hell is going on?" She muttered, intimidated by the bizarre silence. Law slowly shook his head. Sighing, he began to walk towards the town and everyone reluctantly followed.

"Something ain't right with this place, man…" One of the men whispered behind her. She had to agree.

_'What kind of place is this?'_

* * *

Upon entering the edge of the town, the people looked at the men with disinterest. They went about their business as if the sight of an entire pirate crew and a polar bear were an everyday occurrence. Sure, this was the Grand Line, but was it really that normal?

Penguin branched off from the group and approached a woman with her child. He stopped a polite distance away, aware that his status as a pirate made others nervous.

"Excuse me, miss…" As soon as the words had left his mouth, the woman's eyes widened and she scurried away, tugging harshly at the boy's arm. They fled into a nearby building and Penguin was left standing on the street. He jogged back to the group.

"I don't know what that was about." He rubbed his head in confusion. Shachi appeared beside him.

"I told you, women are repulsed by you." He smacked his friend on the head with his fist. Scowling, he turned to face him, holding up his fist.

"Oh yeah? Well-"

"Penguin."

At the sound of his name, he looked up to see Law staring at him and shake his head slightly. The engineer instantly quieted down, stuffing his hands in his pockets in shame. He kicked at a loose rock by his feet.

"Sorry…" He muttered. Law turned back to survey the town, glancing around at the people nearby. It seemed their presence wasn't what scared them but their words, though Penguin's had been innocent enough. The pirate captain hummed in thought.

Summer stood nearby, also inspecting the town. An idea struck her, and she walked over to a sandy-haired middle-aged man with a mustache. Using her knowledge of sign language, she signed the words: 'Do-you-understand-me?'

The man frowned in confusion and walked away quickly. She tried again with an older woman a few feet away, but got the same reaction.

_'I'll take that as a no…' _She sighed and returned to the group. Law gave her a questioning look.

"I thought that maybe since spoken words made them nervous, speaking in sign language would work. But I guess they don't understand it."

"You know sign language?" She shrugged and nodded in confirmation. He nodded slowly, turning over this new piece of information. His attention was turned away from her when he felt a tug on his sleeve. A young man stood there, glancing around in nervousness and shifting from foot to foot. Law raised an eyebrow.

"Can you help us?" The man quickly looked away and pointed to a house on the right. It was small and built much like the other structures in the town were. He started towards it and gestured for them to follow. The crew began to move forward but was stopped by Law's order.

"All of you, wait here."

They nodded silently, realizing that Law didn't want to put them in danger from a possible trap. Though it irked Summer to no end, she crossed her arms and waited with the rest of the men as Law followed the man into the house.

* * *

Upon entering the small house, Law noticed how plain it was. The room was bare of anything personal, furnished only with basic furniture and functional contraptions. This man was obviously either very poor or this was the culture of the island.

The man scurried around and straightened a few items before turning to Law. He wasn't quite as nervous as before, but still wrung his hands together.

"I guess you're wondering why everyone is so silent, right?" The man spoke almost in a whisper. At Law's nod, he continued. "The Governor Tobias decreed that any utterance in public was to be considered a disturbance of the peace and be punishable by death. Anyone caught speaking in public is immediately carried away by the his guards. It's like that for the whole island.

"The only places we are allowed to talk are indoors, but we really are supposed to speak quietly. Oh, I'm Henry by the way."

"That sounds quite troublesome." Law said with disinterest. To be honest, he could care less about the man's name, or the island's strange law, he only found it troublesome because it got in _his_ way. He crossed his arms and frowned.

"I assume there is a market here." Henry nodded.

"You'll have to communicate without speaking, like show them a list or something." He glanced out a nearby window, though according to him speaking inside was legal. It seemed he scared easily.

"One more thing. How long does it take for a log pose to set?"

"Four hours. Umm…if that's all, I suggest you leave. If your crew is caught talking, the governor will find out." Law turned his back on him and was already on his way out. He half opened the door and paused.

"My crew can take care of themselves. Worry about yourself." He closed the door harshly behind him.

* * *

Summer tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, scowling at the clouds that floated lazily by.

_'I hate waiting…'_

The two engineers had the same problem. They sat on a nearby rock, getting up and walking around in agitation several times before sitting back down again. Even watching the two started to get Summer irritated.

Bepo, however, was the perfect picture of the word calm. He sat on the ground and closed his eyes in wait. A small smile rested on his face. The difference in attitudes was laughable.

A loud bang brought all their attention to the mysterious man's house where Law calmly exited and walked towards them. He held up a hand at their obvious questions.

"This island has a law that anyone caught talking in public is put to death. I don't fully understand either, but I want to get off this island as soon as possible. Gather what supplies you can and meet back at the sub within four hours. Show them the list and they will negotiate with you."

The men nodded and set off down the road while somehow keeping silent. Now that the odd situation had been cleared up and no obvious danger presented itself, everyone had visibly relaxed. The usually boisterous crew was now succeeding in restraining themselves enough to not get in trouble. Summer smirked to herself.

_'Miracles do happen.'_

"Miss Summer, are you thinking of something crude, perhaps?" Law's amused question broke her from her thoughts. His trademark smirk in place, he stared at her surprised face. She was about to defend herself, saying that she was doing _no_ such thing, but he chuckled to himself and walked away before she could utter a word. She was left to stew in her dark thoughts behind him.

He paused and turned to look at her. "I hope you haven't forgotten that you are to help me find medical books." He began walking again.

Begrudgingly, she followed. She cursed him under her breath the entire way to the bookstore.

* * *

The man stared at the pirate crew as they split up and headed off in different direction, presumably to gather supplies. The girl and the bear stayed with the captain, much to his irritation. He hadn't gotten a good look at her face since the captain was blocking his view of her, but he was definitely suspicious.

His post on the bakery's roof gave him plenty of cover and a view of the whole street. His eyes locked onto the blonde, watching like a hawk as she walked towards him.

She stepped slightly to the left, revealing her to his full view. His eyes widened as his suspicion was confirmed. His stare pierced her figure until the trio entered the small bookstore further up the road. He hastily pulled out his snail phone and dialed the number he had been told to call in such a case as this. It was answered immediately.

"You better have something good to tell me…" The gravelly voice threatened. The man smirked, relaxing comfortably against the wooden beams of the roof.

"I found her."

* * *

A/N-As always, review and PM me with any suggestions you have regarding chapter ideas, story arc ideas, little one-shots throughout the story, etc. How can I be expected to write a whole story on my own? ;)

This chapter is part of a two or three chapter arc, so we will learn more about this mysterious, currently nameless town in the next chapter! Which I can only hope that you will be eagerly awaiting! :D

I am currently in the market for a laptop that is smaller in size (probably 11 or 13 inch screen), cheap (less than $500), and is good for writing. I'm open to basically anything but I could really use some recommendations for what to get! If you know of a good one, PM me or something! I would love to hear about it!

See you in the next chapter! :)


	17. A Sultry Season of Sergio

A/N- I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OC.

Well, hello again you lovely readers! I am back with yet another chapter!

I'm so glad that you guys apparently like the direction this story is going. I've enjoyed writing this as much as I hope you have enjoyed reading it!

As for the chapter title...well, you'll see. :P

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- I ended up getting an HP Chromebook 14" in the blue color. The keyboard is so smooth, I love it so much! Thank you for your suggestions!

I am happily accepting suggestions for future story arcs and possible little one-shots scattered throughout the story. If you have any ideas, feel free to PM me! :)

I once again have a poll up that I would greatly appreciate you guys to participate in!

Onwards!

* * *

"Man, this sucks." Shachi whispered to Penguin, casually glancing around for any guards. Fortunately, only citizens seemed to be around them, going about their business and pretending as if the pirates didn't even exist. It was strange, intentionally and casually being ignored as they were. It wasn't the sort of treatment they were used to.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But at least we got the supplies quickly." They glanced at the bag of provisions and medical supplies they managed to find, checking to make sure they hadn't dropped anything.

"What the hell kinda place is this, anyway?" They walked towards the submarine, swatting at flies that pestered them. His friend shook his head, unsure of how to answer.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling trouble's gonna find us if we don't leave soon." Shachi said, adjusting his hat over his head as the heat persisted.

* * *

Liam wandered the market, taking in the town's culture with an critical eye.

"They certainly leave nothing to waste…" He muttered, noticing how plain and bare the market actually was.

The tents and stall set up around the street used up as little space and resources as possible. The only sides of the tents that had a flap was the one facing the sun, used solely for the purpose of protection from the heat and intense light. Stalls were bare wood without any fancy carvings or designs. They were naturally small, leaving the vendors to utilize as much space as possible in the little they occupied.

It then struck Liam how very drab it all was. There were no colors. The buildings being made up of the lighter wood just added to the already washed-out landscape and colorless streets. Liam found himself constantly squinting as he surveyed around him in distaste.

He continued to search the tents, somehow ending up in front of a jewelry merchant's stall. He wasn't even really sure how. An older woman who seemed aged beyond her years gave him a toothy smile, gesturing to the small trinkets in front of her.

Not wanting to be rude, he courteously looked over the various bracelets and necklaces laid before him. They ranged in style, from seashell to shiny stone, small gems to polished pearls. For a market in a town so...sparse, they did have a rather large selection.

One in particular caught his eye in the far left corner of the wood counter. A necklace made of polished black stone. It was carved in the shape of a bird, its wings outstretched as if in flight. The edges were lined in silver and it hung on a silver chain. It was quite beautiful.

He suddenly had the urge to buy it and his eyes widened in shock. Without really thinking, he pointed at the necklace and the vendor wrote on a piece of paper how much it cost. Only 600 beli for a piece that detailed, it was quite a bargain.

His body seemed to move on its own as he pulled out the money from his pocket. The older woman bowed in thanks and handed over the necklace. Walking off, he looked at it more closely.

He hadn't noticed before, but the bird had two tiny, dark purple gems set where the eyes were supposed to be. He looked at it in confusion. What had urged him to buy it in the first place?

'_Summer...'_

He shook his head to try to dispel his thoughts, denying that he had even thought about it in the first place. Why did he even think of her, anyway? He had only met her a few weeks ago. Besides, why would she go for a guy like him? There were much better looking guys on the sub, and maybe she wasn't even interested in…

He angrily slapped his cheek with a growl, forcing his mind back to reality. "Stop thinking about her." He muttered to himself. Taking the list of supplies he was i charge of, he set off looking for merchants.

Trying to convince himself he just didn't want to waste money, he slipped the necklace gently into his pocket.

* * *

Summer leaned against the bookstore shelf, raising her eyebrows at the title of the trashy romance novel in her hands.

'_A Sultry Season of Sergio? Really? Who comes up with these things?'_ Tossing it back onto the shelf, she lazily picked up another one next to it.

"I thought I said to help look for _medical _books, Miss Summer?" Law's irritated voice floated to her from the shelf over. Standing on her tiptoes to see over the top of the shelf, she flashed Law an equally irritated expression.

"You know I don't know a damn thing about medicine or fixing people. How the hell am I supposed to help you find a book on it?" He sighed heavily but said nothing, so she returned to browsing through the romance books.

Glancing around, she noticed Bepo staring blankly out the window. She wandered over to him and tried to find what he was looking at.

"What's the matter, Bepo?" She asked after not finding anything. He glanced at her before continuing his search. His face was pretty serious, causing her to start to worry just a little. Bepo wasn't serious unless something was wrong.

"This town doesn't feel right. None of the citizens show interest in us but I feel like we're being watched." She furrowed her eyebrows. Now that he mentioned it, she recalled this weird feeling at the back of her neck as they had walked down the street. Heading back to Law, she noticed he was sitting on the ground intently studying the page of a book.

"Bepo says someone's watching us." He didn't look up from the page.

"I know." She gave him a shocked expression.

"Well, aren't we gonna do something?"

"No." He turned to the next page. She put her hands on her hips.

"And why the hell not? What if they mean us harm?" He finally looked up from the book and gave her a cold look.

"With this town as strange and uptight as it is, I don't want to cause much of a commotion. Looking for the stalker would only raise our chances of causing trouble. Besides," He said, returning to the book in his hands. "The log pose sets in less than two hours. Once we submerge, there's nothing they could do." His answer was met with a sigh.

"I guess…" She nodded hesitantly. A thought struck her then. "What if it's Viper?" She almost whispered. He glanced up at her.

"Do you have reason to believe he knows we are here?"

"No, but-"

"Do you doubt my crew's ability to fight that much?" Her eyes widened.

"No! That's not what I meant."

"Then quit worrying." Sighing, she walked away again.

Summer decided to wander the shelves a bit longer, sending cautious glances out the window every so often, just in case. She had lost interest in the romance section long ago and now scanned the mystery shelves for anything interesting. After finding nothing there either, she once again returned to the romance section out of pure boredom.

* * *

'_No...'_ Law thought as he shut another medical book. Grabbing one close by, he flipped the pages open and scanned the content.

'_No...'_ Not finding what he was looking for, he shut the book and set it aside as well. Running his hand through his hair, he glanced at the large pile of books he had already eliminated as purchases.

"None of these are what I need." Bepo had wandered over by him and sat down at some point, deciding to stay by his captain rather than worry about the stalker they now had. He wasn't sure where Summer had gone. Probably looking through the cheesy romances she seemed to secretly enjoy.

He sighed, resigning himself to the fact that the town's only bookstore didn't have the material he wanted. Standing up, he stretched out his muscles that now ached from sitting for too long. Looking around, he spotted Summer by the romance section. Gesturing for Bepo to follow, he went towards her.

"Hey, Law?" He raised an eyebrow at her question. He watched as her face scrunched up in confusion and concentration at whatever she was reading. "What does cardiovascular mean?"

"It means having to do with the respiratory system, like breathing. Why?" She glanced up before showing him the book in her hands.

"Well, I read it in this book." Taking it, Law saw it was a medical book focusing on the aspects of the heart. "I found it in the romance section earlier. It must have been put there by mistake."

He glanced through the pages briefly, smirking in approval after scanning a few. This was exactly what he was looking for.

"I'm pleasantly surprised, Miss Summer." He said as he made his way towards the door. Bepo and a very confused Summer followed him.

"Surprised at what?"

"Your usefulness." He wasn't looking, but he could feel her scowl behind him.

"Hey, aren't you going to pay for that?" She asked. His grin widened. She rolled her eyes but didn't stop him.

"Oh, I see. Trafalgar Law is too much of a "badass" to pay for a measly book. I get it. Whatever, do what you want." Her sarcastic attitude reminded him so much of his own twisted personality. He also didn't miss the fact that she had secretly taken one of those romance novels off the shelf before and now held it down by her thigh as they walked out.

'_You certainly provide great entertainment, Miss Summer...'_

* * *

A/N-Well, another chapter gone by!

The title of that romance book just kinda popped into my head. If that is an actual book I will probably die of laughter. But I mean, come on. Romance novels have the cheesiest titles. :)

As always, review and PM me with any suggestions you may have. Feedback is always appreciated, constructive critique is welcomed, and hearing from you guys makes my day! Don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile. You guys really do matter!

Since I bought my new laptop, I hope to work a lot more frequently on my stories! I am also planning a companion story to this one that goes more in depth into Summer's childhood, but that won't be posted until farther into the story!

See you in the next chapter!


	18. Reconnaissance

A/N- Hello again, my lovelies! I'm back with another chapter! This one was a bit longer since I felt bad for not updating very often. The action starts to pick up in this one and it also contains my first attempt at a battle scene. In regards to its quality, I would really like to know how I did, so please critique the hell out of it!

I just got back from class change night and I only have 4 class periods at school. I got off early for lunch, so during that time, I have set myself to writing and putting my time to working on any works of fiction I have going on. That means you guys! :) Updates should now come faster than it has been!

I currently have a poll up on my profile that I would love it if you participated in! Your feedback helps me make decisions as to where to take the story!

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- Yay! HP buddies! Go us! :) I was planning for something to happen regarding the necklace in the next chapter, but then the whole battle scene kind of worked itself into the story so I decided to save it for later. After all, I would never pass up a chance to make you anxiously wait in anticipation! *Cue diabolical laughter*

**Vivianne95**- Now that I have a half schedule at school and a new laptop to write on, updates should be coming fast now! At least, I hope and pray! My goal is to update frequently enough to avoid angry death threats. So far, its worked! :)

**HesperideIsis**- I have plans for our dear Law. Plans for an upcoming arc. And they involve niceness towards a certain sarcastic blonde...But I'm keeping quiet to keep up the suspense. You know, like us evil authors do. ;)

Onwards!

* * *

Law, Bepo, and Summer met up with most of the crew at the sub after 'buying' the medical book from the bookstore. Most of the men spent their time lounging around near the shore, reading magazines or dealing out cards. Summer had jokingly offered a game of strip poker, to which all the engineers hastily declined.

The log pose didn't set for another few hours, leaving the blonde girl struggling to find something to do. Law had retreated into the sub to look over his 'purchase' while Bepo went off to sit beside the sub's hull as it offered some protection from the sun. Summer sat next to him in her boredom.

"Well, now what?" She asked the polar bear, who was sniffing the air experimentally. His ears perked every which way, most likely hearing things that she as a human couldn't. He tilted his head towards the town.

"We still have to wait for everyone to get back, and the log pose hasn't set yet. We should just wait here for awhile." She crossed her legs and rested her elbow on top of her knee. Propping her chin in her hand, she sighed deeply.

"But that's so booorring." The bear lowered his head in depression.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. She patted his furry arm in comfort.

"Don't apologize. You're probably right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." She grumbled. The two sat in silence for awhile; Bepo still gazing towards the town and Summer quietly enjoying the gentle spring breeze. After a prolonged pause, Summer glanced curiously at the bear.

"Are we still being watched?" He shook his head.

"No, not since we left the bookstore. But something still doesn't feel right. I just don't know what." She didn't say anything after that, leaving Bepo to his own thoughts as she fought with her own.

Summer lazily glanced around at the crew, remembering her conversation with the captain earlier that day.

"_What if it's Viper?" She half-whispered._

"_Do you have reason to believe he knows we are here?"_

"_No, but-"_

"_Do you doubt my crew's ability to fight that much?" Her eyes widened._

"_No! That's not what I meant!"_

"_Then quit worrying."_

She hoped what Law had said was true, that she wouldn't have to worry about their safety if things went to hell. No, not if, _when._ She was now sure that her dark past would catch up with her eventually, it was just a matter of time. She just hoped that she would be strong enough when that time came.

As she looked around at the carefree little crew around her, she smiled.

"_Is everyone alright?" She asked, and was greeted by the two engineers' cocky grins._

"_Oh yeah, we're fine! It'll take more than a little roughing up to take us down."_

Her grin widened when she spotted the two friends arguing over which of their hats were better suited to pick up girls. A wrestling match began right before her very eyes.

'_They're so happy...'_ She thought.

Her gaze swung left where Casper stood leaning on the sub, slightly away from the rest of the crew. Despite his cold attitude and rough exterior, he really was a caring person. Even from this distance, she could pick up the traces of a smile on his face as he seemingly supervised the relaxing men.

She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them to her. Spreading her hands out in front of her, she found herself unable to look away from them. She studied her hands, partially calloused and dry from her years of rough living and imprisonment. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, fighting back the tears that began to build.

'_I wonder...'_

Opening her eyes, she looked to see Penguin and Shachi calling to her, gesturing her to go to them. They were both smiling.

"Summer-chan! We need your opinion!"

"I need you to tell Penguin that my hat is so much cooler than his!" Shachi shouted to which his friend pushed his face in the sand.

"Baka! Summer-chan knows that my hat is way more appealing than _yours._" They began to argue again.

Summer smiled a small smile, getting up from her position slowly and making her way over.

'_Is it really possible…'_

A few men called out a greeting to her and offered friendly smiles as she passed. Her heart soared at each one, sadly wondering how many of those she had ever received in her life. Too few to remember.

She approached the two troublemaking engineers, who smiled broadly up at her. She smiled genuinely for the first time all day.

'_...That I can be as happy as them?'_

* * *

Bepo's gaze wouldn't leave the town. There was something in the air, a foul stench, that he couldn't put a name to. It continued to spread over the area towards the north, and gradually wafted closer. By now, all of the crew had returned and joined the relaxing men on the shore. Supplies had been brought onboard and secured, now all they waited for was the log pose. Personally, Bepo thought it couldn't set soon enough.

The bear thought back to when Summer had been seated next to him. He could smell her ever-present fear, most likely from the unknown stalker from earlier. But there had also been sorrow, and longing. When Shachi and Penguin had called her over, she seemed to cheer up a bit more, as a wave of happiness had joined the other emotions, eventually overwhelming them and becoming most prominent.

He was happy that she was happy, she deserved a little bit of it.

There is was again, that stench. It was stronger, and closer. Bepo started to get a little nervous, not sure whether the strange smell brought with it a danger to his crewmates. Not wanting to raise a false alarm, he calmly stood up and walked aboard the submarine.

The inside was stiflingly hot and he wondered briefly how the captain could stand the temperatures inside for so long, but concluded that he could tolerate it to a larger degree because of his lack of fur.

Walking to the door to his quarters, he gently rapped on the metal and waited for Law's low 'Come in.' Upon entering, he found his hat-less captain comfortably situated in his chair with a mug of coffee in his hand and his new medical book propped up on his knee. Not wanting to beat around the bush, he spoke before Law could question why he was here.

"Something's coming closer to us from the town's direction. It doesn't smell friendly and it covers a large area."

Law didn't answer immediately. "When does the log pose set?"

"We still have twenty minutes, Captain." At the news, Law gently set down his mug and stood, picking up his sword and placing his hat on his head.

"It covers a large area?" He questioned. Bepo frowned slightly.

"There are many people associated with it. They all smell the same, and they don't smell good." The captain nodded and led Bepo back outside where the crew was.

* * *

Law stood behind the sub's railing and spoke down to his crew. "Men, there is a large number of people coming towards us so get ready for a possible fight." At the sound of his words, men scrambled to attention and grabbed for their weapons. Bepo watched as Summer's eyes widened and she bolted into the submarine, probably in search of her daggers. Law only spared her a small glance, instead focusing his attention towards the north of the island. From his high position, he could see dust being kicked up from something, and it was quickly getting closer.

His eyes narrowed as he judged the distance and the speed at which they were moving. Recalling Bepo's answer before, he scowled. "They'll reach us before the log pose sets. We'll have to fight." At this, he unsheathed his nodachi and held it easily in his grasp.

A shout of surprise from the crew below caused Law to look up. A few figures came bursting through the tall grass, carrying long swords and a few were equipped with chains. The men on the shore already armed met the enemy's weapons with their own. Swords clashed together and more men came through the tall grass.

"Room." Law muttered, raising his hand and extending his blue sphere around them, careful not to hit his own men, he swung his sword and cut several pirates in half leaving them floating around the air as they cried out in pain.

The enemy outnumbered his crew from what he saw three to one, but they were obviously poorly-skilled fighters. His men easily held them at bay and one by one sliced them down. The air was filled with cries of pain, mostly on the opposing side. Beside him, he felt a rush of air pass by and watched as Summer joined the fighting men equipped with her two daggers in hand.

He retracted his room, seeing that his crew was more than enough to handle these thugs. Instead, he watched with great interest as his female cook almost gleefully struck down the men around her.

Her movements were quick; she ducked and shied away from attack after attack, always shifting her body on the balls of her feet. The daggers slashed many torsos and necks in rapid succession. Law was actually surprised by the amount of cruelty she exhibited while she fought, choosing exposed and vulnerable parts of the body as her targets. Her grin would widen fractionally when her daggers embedded themselves in a man's exposed neck. She would give a short laugh when she lunged forward to finish a man off, ending his life by driving her weapon deep into his heart.

The dark doctor felt a smirk appear on his face as he saw the cold enjoyment in her eyes. She stabbed and cut men down one after another, all the while smiling unnervingly as her victims fell before her. She was graceful, her long blonde hair swaying with every movement and step she took. Her body was now thoroughly coated in blood, but she didn't seem to notice.

She was beautiful.

As suddenly as they appeared, the enemy retreated on some silent signal, dashing hastily back into the tall grass. Many of Law's men went to chase after them but he stopped them with an order.

"Leave them! Get any injured into the sick bay and prepare to submerge!" Several men growled their disapproval but followed his orders anyway. No one disobeyed the captain. Not even Summer, who was now panting heavily but helping Liam lift one man with a large cut down his thigh.

Bepo made to head back into the sub but the captain stopped him with a raised hand. "Bring one of the corpses into the operation room. I want to examine him." Bepo nodded and moved back towards the shore, picked up one of the bodies, and brought him inside with him.

Law was the last one inside, taking one more glance at the tall grass concealing their enemy before closing the hatch door behind him.

* * *

Summer helped Liam bring Nate, one of the engine room technicians, into the infirmary. He grimaced and grunted in pain with every step they took, the rapidly diving submarine not helping in the slightest, but he made it to the examination table without too much effort. There were several other men in better or worse condition. The less serious wounds were located farther into the room, with the high priority injuries closer to the door.

Minutes later, Law pushed through the double doors and quickly got to work tending to his crew. Liam was quick to assist and Summer was left to step back and watch. Her non-existent medical knowledge would do more harm than good in this situation and she was smart enough to know when to let the experts do their job.

"Miss Summer, I believe Casper-ya will be preparing a meal for the crew. Please wash up and go assist him." She nodded and hurried off to the showers to clean the blood off of her body.

Thankfully, most of the men had either gone to the engine rooms to run the sub or were in the infirmary taking care of wounds, so the showers were left all to Summer. She showered quickly, covering herself with the towel and rushed off to her room to change clothes. Throwing on a uniform that she had been given, she hurried off to the kitchen in search of the old cook. He was chopping up vegetables and beef in preparation of a stew and he glanced up when she walked in.

"Ah, you're here. Set to skinning those carrots, now. And be quick about it."

"Right." She pulled up her hair, washed her hands, and threw on an apron, reaching for the drawer with the peeling knives. The two worked in comfortable silence, both hoping that none of their crew mates were seriously harmed.

* * *

Several hours later, Law finished stitching up the last of the major injuries. There were more injured than he had expected, but nothing was life-threatening. Some were serious enough to constitute staying in the infirmary for further treatment the next day, but most were released shortly after being attended to by Law.

"That's the last injury, Captain." Liam said, taking the medical equipment and bringing them over to the sink to clean. Taking off his gloves, Law rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Liam-ya, check the bandages to make sure they are still secure in the morning. You are relieved of duty for the time being."

"Aye, Captain." Liam said, now finished with cleaning the tools and heading out the infirmary doors.

Law felt very much in need of a shower and some sleep, but there was one more matter he wished to attend to before doing so. Washing his hands in the sink, he moved off to the very end examination table.

There lay the recovered corpse of one of the fighters. From the fatal injury to the right side of his neck, he could tell that he was one of Summer's kills. Her brutality was easily distinguishable, and he couldn't help but smirk.

Upon further inspection, he appeared to be a pirate. His dirty clothing and foul stench indicated he hadn't bathed within a reasonable amount of time prior to his death. His teeth were yellowed and rotted away, and his face bore signs of previous combat; a long scar down his jawline and through his lip.

He had no valuables on his person, no identification or otherwise distinguishable features. Until Law checked his feet.

On his ankle, he had a tattoo of a coiled snake. The image wasn't familiar to Law and he frowned in concentration. No one came to mind.

"Hmm…" He hummed, perplexed but not entirely surprised. He had a suspicion this was the work of VIper, as Summer called him. He decided it was better to be sure and he walked into the hallway to find Bepo.

* * *

After the dinner rush, Summer slumped against the counter tiredly. She wasn't looking forward to doing the dishes after all the events of the day. She still felt gross, but was too tired to take another shower. Casper came up next to her and began washing the dishes.

"I can take care of those, don't worry about it." He shook his head.

"You look worse for wear, if I do say so myself." She furrowed her eyebrows but didn't say anything. He was right after all. But that didn't mean he had to point it out. "I'll take care of the washing tonight, just go get yourself some rest."

"It's not any trouble, you've been working in here all day." She countered, but he refused to budge from the sink.

"Nonsense. Now head on off to bed. Hurry now before I change my mind." She sighed but gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you." She said quietly, turning towards the door to head to her room. She failed to see the small smile on the old cooks face as he watched her go.

* * *

She stumbled down the hall, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. Her mind was fuzzy, so she failed to notice Bepo standing right in front of her. Bumping into his belly, she jumped back in surprise, but gave a tired smile when she realized it was him.

"Sorry, Bepo. I didn't see you there." He smiled as well, but it quickly faded from his face.

"Captain needs to see you. He's in the infirmary." Seeing the sadistic bastard that was her captain was the last thing that she wanted to do, but knowing how persistent and moody he could be, it would save her trouble if she just went to see him now. Sighing in defeat, she nodded and trudged towards the white double doors.

Upon entering she noticed Law was at the back of the room with a body on the examination table. Panic swelled up in her when she thought it was one of the crew, but it quickly dissipated when she saw the state of the clothing and the horrible stench that permeated the air, realizing it to be the body of one of the enemies.

He looked up at her entrance and beckoned her over. She debated whether this visit was even worth her time, the image of her inviting bed flashing across her mind. Curiosity won out, though and she silently approached the table.

"This is one of the attackers?" She asked, to which he nodded. He was writing something down on a clipboard and she studied his thin, tattooed fingers. The words D-E-A-T-H were inked across them, and she wondered curiously what had caused him to get them. Turning her attention back to the body, she examined him for herself.

"So, why did you want to see me?" He walked over by the man's feet and pulled up the fabric covering the ankles.

"I wanted you to see this." On the ankle, the image of a coiled snake was tattooed in black ink. The heaviness in her eyes quickly disappeared as she recognized the image. Her breathing seemed to stop, and she stared hard at the snake.

The room grew cold, and images from past tragedies threatened to flash through her mind. She closed her eyes tightly to stop them, focusing instead on breathing deeply through her nose and slow her rapid heartbeat. Once she had calmed down, she reopened her eyes and nodded.

"It's Viper's mark. I've seen it before." Law, who had been watching the girl's reaction with great interest, turned his eyes back to the body and rubbed at his chin in thought.

"If these are Viper's men, then he knows you are with us. Today's attack was most likely a way to gauge our strength. I have no doubt there will be more of these attacks." Summer nodded agreement.

"They were weak and uncoordinated. This was only a recon party. The survivors are probably reporting everything to Viper right now." She glared at the man's face, half wanting him to rise from the dead just so she would have the privilege of killing him all over again. Her hands itched to hold her weapons, and she clenched them to stop the urge.

"In that case, it seems you will have to become stronger sooner than you expected, Miss Summer." Law moved away to put the clipboard back on his desk, leaning against it with his legs crossed at the ankles. "That is, if you still wish to kill him." Her glare switched to the dark doctor.

"Of course I want him dead. He's the reason my life was so shitty in the first place." Law smirked at her angry face. She never ceased to entertain him, it seemed.

"Then, your training begins tomorrow."

* * *

A/N- Well, I'm hoping you guys will inform me as to how horribly I did with that fight scene and tell me how the hell I'm actually supposed to write it. :)

As always, review and PM me any suggestions for ideas for the story you have, I would be thrilled to hear them!

Don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile, I would love to know what you think. :)

I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter! Bye! :D


	19. Training

A/N- I do not own One Piece. However, Summer is my OP.

Hello again! I'm back with another exciting (sort of) chapter! I'm a little frustrated with how slowly the action has been happening in this story but I struggle to find ways to include more of it in the chapters as I go along.

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- Law can't help it! He doesn't know just how much she is starting to affect him!

I'm excited for what I have planned for the companion story, 'Memories,' and the next arcs in this one. However, it is becoming increasingly harder to think of what's next.

Anyway, Onwards!

* * *

The next day, after helping in the kitchen with Casper for breakfast, Summer was led down past the crew's quarters into a part of the sub that Penguin and Shachi hadn't shown her before. The captain had requested Liam accompany them, and he took up the rear. The halls didn't look any different, but there weren't nearly as many people walking them as the others. Law walked ahead of her, eventually stopping in front of a door on the right. He gave her an amused smirk before opening the room and allowing her to enter first.

She walked into a fully equipped training room. The metal walls were a dark blue, a stark contrast to the neon yellow that seemed to be the recurring theme around here. Large wooden poles wrapped in hard leather were set up across from her. Shifting her feet around, she found the floor to be a softer padding, probably for close combat training.

"Wow, an entire training room onboard a submarine? I'm impressed." She said.

She heard the door behind her close. Turning, she watched as the captain took up a position by the wall and Liam made his way to the center of the room. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I'm fighting Liam?" The smirk still on his face, Law nodded.

"Liam-ya specializes in close combat with short swords, similar to what you prefer." He gestured to her two daggers on her belt. Whilst he spoke, Liam took out a pair of slightly longer weapons in preparation. "Sparring with him will show me if you're actually skilled in using them. You will start when I say." She took a deep breath to control her temper. Even when he was somewhat tolerable, he said something to make him a douche.

"Alright." She said, ignoring the jab at her ability and pulling her own weapons off of her belt. Her body instinctively eased into a ready position, one dagger in each hand. Liam faced her, holding his own swords at the ready. She gave a small smile. "I'm not going to hold back, Liam."

He grinned in response. "You'll lose if you do." A matching grin struck her face. Adrenaline started working its way through her limbs at the thought of using her weapons, and she ached for Law to signal the beginning of the match.

_'Yes, you have to win. To become stronger.' _Some part of her that only came about when she fought reared its ugly head, begging for bloodshed. She forced herself to hold the urge down, to stamp out the danger to herself and Liam. She narrowed her eyes, the act of suppressing the feeling getting harder by the second. The wait seemed like an eternity.

"Begin."

He hadn't even finished the word when Summer sprang into action. She leapt at Liam with the force of a lion, daggers aimed straight for his heart. She was fast, but his reflexes were as well. His own short swords deflected her blows to the side, causing her to angle left of his body. His blade angled towards her body and she crouched down to avoid being sliced through the middle. Rolling away, she hung back to observe him.

He loosely held his weapons to his sides, crouched just slightly in anticipation of another attack. He suddenly ran at her, angling to the right. She caught his swipe in between both of her blades and pushed him back a few feet, causing him to stumble. She used the opportunity to try to hit his vulnerable body.

Despite being knocked off balance, he recovered faster than she had expected, and his swords clashed back against her daggers. They stood toe to toe, pushing against the other with great force.

"Not bad." Liam said, his easy grin still on his face. Her eyes narrowed at his apparent disinterest. He was better at this than she had first thought. He took a step back, causing her to stumble forward. One of his swords sliced her upper arm before she could catch it in time. She used his momentum to push herself out of his reach.

"Dammit…" She muttered, inspecting her injured limb. The cut wasn't too deep, but it might need a few stitches. Focusing back on her target, the grin was no longer on Liam's face. Instead, concern and worry replaced it. He didn't enjoy harming his own crew mates, but if it enabled them to become stronger he would do what needed to be done. Settling back into position, she waited for him to make the next move.

* * *

Law watched as Liam caught Summer's arm. A thin red line appeared and she cursed under her breath. Without hesitated, she prepared herself for the next attack.

Her fighting style was unique. She would charge in close to her target and then quickly retreat before they could retaliate. Whenever possible, should avoided prolonged contact. Looking back to the previous battle on the island, he remembered her quick movements and now connected the two together. She wouldn't waste time on one person longer than was necessary. His eyes narrowed. The only field that consisted of that kind of technique was…

An assassin.

His focus returned to the fight in time to see Summer and Liam hacking away at each other in a strange kind of graceful dance. By now their breathing was labored and the attacks were slower than before. Liam now had a cut across his cheek, directly below his eye.

He barely caught it, but something flashed across her eyes. It came and went so fast he wasn't sure if it was even there, but Summer suddenly held her ground and halted Liam's advance. She struggled to hold her own against his strength but deflected his swords to the side.

She moved in a flash, reaching behind his back and catching him in a hold before slamming him to the ground. Somehow, she had disarmed him and now held him in a strange hold simultaneously. One of his arms were across his back while the other was pinned beneath his own body. Summer sat on top of his back, effectively cutting off his movements. Somewhere along the way, she lost one of her daggers, and now placed the remaining one against Liam's neck

Law pushed off the wall and walked over to them. "I believe you have been bested, Liam-ya." The medic grinned and rested his head on the ground.

"I have to agree, Captain." Summer hastily removed herself from atop his back and held out a hand to help him up. Liam gratefully took it and hoisted himself to his feet. They were both sweaty and tired, but he couldn't help but smile. He brushed himself off and looked to Law for instructions.

The captain walked up to Summer and gripped her arm. She hissed at his tight hold. He turned her arm this way and that, examining the wound and ignoring her sounds of protest.

"You may need stitches." He concluded, releasing her arm. "But before that," He pointed towards one of the wooden poles on the other side of the room. "Hit the target from here."

She glanced at the pole, calculating the distance. Without a word, she pulled her arm back and sent the dagger flying towards the pole. It stuck against the wood with a loud clunk. Right in the middle.

"Hmm…not bad." Law hummed.

"Not bad? That's all I get?" He stared at Summer, who glared back with equal force.

"Are you proficient with a sword?" His question caught her off guard.

"I've never used one." She admitted. Pulling out the dagger from her thigh, she held it up with a shrug. "I've always used daggers. They're lighter and easier to maneuver." He frowned.

"You'll have to learn then." He heard her sigh.

"It takes years to become a master swordsman. I don't have that time." The doctor shook his head.

"You're not aiming to be a master. All we're hoping for is for you to be able to use it well enough to hold your own." She squinted her eyes in thought, silently working it over in her mind.

"Alright, fair enough." She nodded, and he turned back towards the door. Liam followed close behind him, leaving Summer in the middle of the room.

"That's enough for now, you will meet me in this room every evening for training." Her eyebrows rose up in surprise, a grin on her face.

"You're personally overseeing my training, huh? Not gonna lie, I would've thought you would leave that to someone else." He glared back.

"You are still a member of this crew. I will not tolerate weakness." He left before she could retort. She huffed in annoyance.

"The man is unbelievable!" She said, crossing her arms in annoyance. Liam looked at her with pity.

"Don't mind him. He just wants to keep the crew safe." She reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he has to be a dick about it…" She mumbled. To her surprise, he chuckled.

"Well, he has his own way of caring. Don't think too much of it." He motioned to the hallway outside, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

She smiled and followed him into the hall.

* * *

Law walked steadily back to his quarters, his sword relaxed against his shoulder. The men who passed by greeted him cheerfully. He nodded in return and continued walking. A small smirk rested upon his face without him realizing it.

The submarine had changed. He noticed it in the smallest things. Ever since Summer came aboard, his men were happier, more boisterous and carefree. Laughter had always been a common sound around the little sub, but now it seemed more genuine. The crew accepted her into their little family so quickly, it came as a great surprise to Law. The girl had something about her that his men seemed to naturally gravitate to.

He was content that the crew was happy with her aboard, but another part of him, the part he was never sure what exactly was thinking, didn't like it. The only way to explain it was an ache of sorts, which left him feeling frustrated.

He shook his head to stop his thoughts. I did no good to dwell on her for too long. Whenever he found himself thinking about her, it seemed harder to focus on anything else. He wasn't even sure why...or how. He frowned.

Dammit, he was still thinking about her. He sighed.

'_Get yourself together.'_

Luckily for him, Bepo was walking the opposite way down the hall. "Captain, we are sailing into an area highly populated with sea kings. Jean Bart would like you in the navigation room for instruction." Good, exactly what he needed to take his mind off that infernal woman.

"Tell him I will be there in a moment." Bepo nodded and walked away. Law intended to stop by his quarters, but if Jean Bart was asking for help, then the sea kings must pose a bigger risk than he thought. He set off immediately for the navigation room.


	20. One Man's Fantasy is Another's Agony

A/N- Another chapter so soon? Why, I must be on a roll!

Hello again, my lovelies! I bring you a small filler chapter! I really don't have much else to say...

Oh, I have another poll up that I really recommend you voting in. It is important feedback that I can't really get through reviews alone, so please go and check my profile for it!

**Vivianne95**- Ah, but he doesn't know it yet! :)

**HesperideIsis**- I've always thought that Law would be the quick-to-be-jealous type, so I just had to throw that in there! :D A jealous Law is a sexy Law. ;)

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- I'm terrified that Summer will become a Mary Sue, so I debated for a good 30 minutes or so if she should win the match. At the same time, I don't want her to be a weak, defenseless protagonist that relies on the crew at all times. It's such a struggle!

Onwards!

* * *

The smell of smoke surrounded her. She refused to open her eyes, horrified by what she may find. She crouched on the ground and covered her eyes with her hands.

"Go away…" She sobbed weakly. Her voice shook with emotion, and the tears slipped past her scrunched hands. Crying and screaming could be heard in the distance. Even if she plugged her ears, the noise wouldn't leave her.

A hand clamped over her shoulder with a near-bruising grip. She sobbed harder, afraid of the voice that she knew would be coming.

"Look around, love." When she didn't remove her hands from her eyes, the hand on her shoulder lifted and her arms were forced from her face. Her eyes opened of their own volition, and she wanted nothing more than to tear them out of her sockets.

The village. The flames. The smoke. The bodies.

It was all too much.

"Why?" She shouted, speaking to the man that now held her back. Her body quivered with barely restrained anger and desperation. She had to escape from him. Hell, she would have cut off her own arms if she had to.

Summer felt him chuckled darkly behind her, and his hands tightened their hold on her arms. She squinted through the pain, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. They dripped softly to the scorched ground below.

"It is what you are. You cannot change that. Why do you refuse to accept the fact that you are a monster, destined to destroy the world as you know it?"

"I am _not _a monster!" She growled, trying in vain to wrench her arms free. He laughed again, a disgusting sound, and began pushing her forwards towards the harbor.

"Shall we take a little trip then?" Her feet moved without her telling them to, and she had no choice but to be shoved down the main street. Her gaze was directed at the dirt. She couldn't bear to look at her handiwork.

His hand forced her chin up to the buildings around her. "Everything you see is your fault. It was done by your hands, your conscience." Her eyes were forced to take in the ruined town, the scattered bodies, the empty faces of those she had gotten close to. Building after building passed until they reached the boat docks. There, the pile of bodies waited for them.

Mr. Porter and his family. The little boy that played with her sometimes after he got out of church. The baker's wife, who would sneak Summer free loaves of bread when her husband wasn't looking. They all stared at her.

"Accept what you are, what you were made to do. God gave you a gift." He remarked, but she shook her head adamantly.

"Stop this!" She shouted closing her eyes again, and the hands holding her arms vanished. She was free to move once again, and she opened her eyes timidly.

Mr. Porter stood in front of her with his wife and children. She took a step back, noticing their blank, white eyes. They didn't move towards her.

"You killed us." He said, pointing an accusatory dead finger in her direction. "You lied, and you killed us."

"No! I didn't want this to happen! _No!"_ Surrounding them was pure darkness, as thick as blood. Summer could feel it pressing her down, and all she could see were the figures of the deceased townspeople. The wife wore a blank face as she spoke.

"You stole my childrens' futures away from them. They will no longer feel happiness. They will never get to live. All because of you." The children remained silent. The tears renewed their flow and Summer covered her ears again.

"Stop it! I'm sorry! Please, stop!" They all pointed at her and stared. Just stared in silence. Somehow, this was worse than before.

She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably as she rocked back and forth. "I-I never meant for this to happen! Please, leave me alone! _I'm sorry!"_ She shouted.

"_Lies!" _They yelled in unison at a deafening volume, and she collapsed to the ground in shock.

* * *

"_No!"_ She yelled, bolting upright in her bed. A cold sweat stuck her hair to her forehead at odd angles. Her heavy breathing was the only sound in her dark room. Listening closely, it didn't sound as if her screaming had woken anyone up. She rubbed her face in agitation and relief.

'_It was just a dream...'_

She took a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat, repeating her mantra in her head until she could think rationally.

She was not in the village. She was aboard Trafalgar Law's submarine with the Heart Pirates. Viper was not here. Mr. Porter and his family were not here, come back to haunt her from the dead. Slowly, after much self-convincing, she relaxed somewhat.

Involuntarily, her arms wrapped around herself to protect her from some unknown entity. As if Viper's very image in her head would come and take her away. A shuddering breath escaped her.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was 2:00 in the morning, and she still had to help with breakfast in the morning. Forcing herself to lie down again, she willed her eyes to shut and her muscles to loosen.

"Dammit…" She muttered, preparing herself for the long night ahead of her.

* * *

"Why?"

Law cracked open an eye at the distant voice that permeated his brain through the fog of sleep. Rubbing away the drowsiness, he propped himself up on one elbow and listened intently. Glancing at the clock, it was only 1:54 A.M. Cursing under his breath, he ran a hand through his hair.

Of all nights, something had to happen on one of the rare nights he actually fell asleep.

"Shit…" He muttered, but silenced when he heard the voice again.

It was Summer, made obvious by the feminine quality to the whimpers that carried quietly down the hall to his room. They weren't necessarily loud, but somehow she had woken him up.

Sitting fully up from bed, he resorted to listening for a moment. He knew there was no outside threat, so he concluded she must be having a nightmare.

"Stop this!" He frowned at the pain and fear in her voice and reluctantly swung his legs over the side of the bed. It wasn't that he was worried...He just didn't want her injuring herself again. It was troublesome. At least, that's what he told himself.

He begrudgingly made his way out the door and down the short distance of hallway that seperated his room and hers. He didn't enter, but leaned against the wall next to her door. From outside, he could hear her tossing and turning on the bed. Whatever this nightmare was of, it obviously left the girl severely distraught.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry…" She repeated through her strangled sobs. It was a wonder no one else had woken up. No one came out into the hall asking what was wrong, though.

"No!" She shouted, and Law could tell from the sudden clarity to her voice that she had woken up. Her labored breathing filled the room behind the wall.

Law stood there a moment, just listening to her distress. Usually, such a sound he found amusing, entertaining even. But for whatever reason he found no satisfaction in her fear-filled cries. He frowned, not wanting to think about it anymore. He padded his way back to his room, his bare feet making no sound on the metal floors.

"Dammit.." He cursed under his breath so low she wouldn't have heard it, unaware that behind her door, Summer was doing the same.

* * *

"Shachi-kun…" Summer said, pouting provocatively with a finger to her cheek. Shachi's eyes bulged out of his head, noting the shorter-than-short skirt and low-neckline blouse she wore. His cheeks reddened profusely. She crawled agonizingly slow, in Shachi's opinion, over to him. Her all-fours position gave him a clear view of her barely-covered cleavage.

"U-um...S-Summer-chan...are you sure about this?" He asked, not wanting to take advantage of her. She frowned slightly, looking away from him.

"Shachi-kun...do you not like me?" She questioned, hurt evident in her voice. He waved his hands in front of him.

"Of course not! I-I just wanted to make sure…" She smiled again, crawling ever closer to him.

"Then...won't you kiss me?" She asked. His eyes became stars and he unconsciously started to drool. He held his arms out to her and held her in an embrace, his face nearing hers.

* * *

Penguin was woken up from his slumber by an arm whacking him across the face.

"Ah! What the hell?" He looked above him, to the upper bunk where his friend slept, and noted the arm dangling off the side. Glaring sleepily, Penguin pushed out of bed with a huff and reached up to hit his friend's head with his fist.

"Ah!" He yelled, startled awake. "What was that for?" He rubbed his eyes, drool still dripping from the corner of his mouth. A blush registered faintly on his cheeks, and Penguin noticed it through the darkness of the room. His eyes narrowed.

"What were you dreaming about, baka?" Shachi moaned with his face in his pillow.

"Penguin! It was the perfect dream! But you woke me up before it ended! Now I'll never get to know-!" He cut himself, realizing what he was saying.

"Never get to know what?" He asked, arms crossed over his chest. Shachi rubbed the back of his head, flustered by what he almost admitted.

"N-nothing! Nothing a-at all! Just go back to sleep."

"Hmm…" Penguin didn't seem convinced but climbed back into bed anyway. The two men were quiet after that, contimplating their own thoughts.

* * *

Law, meanwhile, lay awake in bed. He found himself unable to fall back asleep after being initially woken up, much to his irritation. Though, what irked him most was that it wasn't his raging insomnia, or even one of his medical books that kept him up.

It was her.

Her face kept appearing in his mind, smiling sweetly or scowling in anger. An image of her covered in the enemy's blood, holding her two daggers with a twisted grin on her face flashed through his mind. He shook his head violently.

"Stop." He told himself quietly. This needed to stop. It was getting ridiculous.

Unbidden, her face popped up again in his head, and he sat up in anger. Rubbing his face with both hands, he sighed deeply. This had never happened before with any of the women that had kept him company for one night flings on islands along the grand line. He had felt nothing for those women. She was no more physically appealing than them, nor would he call her his type. So why was she so different?

These strange feelings were foreign to him, and not knowing exactly what they were frustrated him beyond belief. Scowling at the image of her face in his mind, he cursed her under his breath.

"You, woman, will be the death of me."

* * *

A/N- I'm hoping that the quality of the chapters hasn't decreased now that updating speed has increased. I proofread all of the chapters myself so there are times when I miss grammar mistakes. Bear with me. Please, review and PM me any suggestions you may have. I can't stress enough how much those help me improve.

It becomes difficult to write a scene when you picture it in your head and only provide half the details, and because you can see it in your own head you think that others will as well. That's not always true, so please let me know if this becomes a problem at any point or if I start to leave you guys clueless as to the surroundings and world development. (I feel I lack greatly in this area.)

I would also like to know what you guys think of my battle scenes so far, because I have no idea if I'm doing them right! :)

See you in the next chapter!


	21. Perverted Winter

A/N- Yay! I'm back again! :D I feel like I've been gone for a long time when really it's only been a few days...

The first day or two, I couldn't think of anything to write and I started to panic because I didn't know what I was gonna do for the rest of the story and then I panicked some more because I thought I was gonna have to put this on Hiatus again and now I'm ok because I remembered what I was gonna do in the first place...

So yeah. Anyway. No more rambling.

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- Alright, alright. I felt bad about not putting Bepo so here you have it. His dream is in this chapter. The least I could get is a thank you... :P I've been waiting to use that line in this story this whole time and now I feel amazing that I did! ^_^

**HesperideIsis**- Well, I have plenty of time to do things and my editing process doesn't take very long either. Some days, it is literally written, looked over once and then posted. I hope their relationship isn't going way too fast or anything. I don't want it to be sudden because I don't feel that Canon Law would fall for someone that quickly, but who am I to say?

Onwards!

* * *

"Amazing…" Summer's eyes took in the swirling winter climate of the new island. Something akin to a blizzard danced in the air in front of them. A great burst of wind came rushing towards them, and she smiled in awe. At this point in the day, the sun sat below the horizon, creating a colorful masterpiece of the sky above. The pink and yellow hues reflected over the flawless snowy hills surrounding the small town.

The flakes of snow brushed past Summer's cheek, causing them to turn a deep red. The howling wind was a sound she was well acquainted with, but strangely, it wasn't unpleasant.

"It's been forever since we've been to a winter island." Bepo, along with most of the crew, stood next to her by the railing, beaming at the frozen land in obvious delight. The poor bear had been complaining about the heat for days now and she was happy he could finally cool off for once. That just left one other problem, though.

She shivered and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, her short breaths creating small clouds in front of her. Her black pants and army-style tank top didn't help at all in this freezing environment, and her combat boots would probably slip on every wet surface in this place. A quick glance around confirmed that the rest of the men had thick coats to protect them from the temperature and sturdy snow boots. She bit her lip, unsure of where to get some.

"Here." A hand holding a yellow hoodie was thrust into her face from her left. Startled, she looked up into the annoyed eyes of her captain. Noticing that it was the one he usually wore, she glanced at his floor-length black coat with a yellow jolly roger on the collar. She looked at the jacket suspiciously, as if it would reach out and bite her. He rolled his eyes, forcefully pushing it into her hands.

"You'll freeze if you don't wear a jacket. We'll get you one in the town, but put this on until then." He glanced down at her feet. "And some better shoes." He stalked off towards the front of the sub, leaving her with his hoodie. She felt the soft fabric in her hands, reflecting that it reminded her of Bepo.

'_So he likes soft things...'_ She smirked. For some reason, she had to restrain the urge to stick her nose in it and inhale his scent. She made a face.

'_What the hell is wrong with me?'_

Deciding she had no other option at the moment, she finally pulled it over her head and adjusted it until it fit comfortably. It was slightly big on her, but not overly so. Law was a lean individual, after all. She could still feel a faint warmth from it, probably from him wearing it earlier. The thought made her blush, but because of the cold, it went unnoticed.

'_Don't think such weird thoughts...' _She scolded herself.

A large body moved up next to her. It was that of Jean Bart, the ex-captain turned navigator that spent the majority of his time in the control room. She had only met him a few times, during which little had been said. It became quickly apparent that he was a man of few words.

He gazed over the island with his usual neutral expression. Summer studied him briefly, but went back to surveying the island after a while. The hoodie wasn't as thick as she would have liked, and she rubbed her arms to generate more heat.

"Shouldn't you be used to the cold?" She jumped, his sudden question startling her out of her trance-like state. He almost never initiated a conversation, let alone talked to her. She shook her head slowly.

"Why would you say that?" His eyes turned onto her.

"You spent over a year in the freezing hell of Impel Down." She looked away, remembering the long time spent in that literal hell hole. The endless numb feeling and depressing thoughts assaulted her memory. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"You would think, but one doesn't get used to something like that." Without opening her eyes, she could still feel Jean Bart's intense gaze on her. When her gaze eventually met his, to her surprise, she saw in them approval and...admiration? He looked away quickly, leaving Summer to wonder if she had really seen anything at all.

* * *

After the crew had docked the submarine, Law ordered the men to arrange rooms at the inn for the night. It had a surprising vacancy, considering the large number of ships currently docked. They didn't think much on it, instead looking forward to a warm room and cups of hot chocolate.

The crew was gathered in the inn's main room, crowded around the large fireplace that took up one whole wall. Law finished talking with the innkeeper and walked over with several keys in his hand. Standing in front of them, he quickly gained their attention.

"Sleeping arrangements will be done in pairs. Our rooms are on the second floor." He began calling out names and handing out the keys to the rooms. Men began heading towards the upstairs to retire for the night. The numbers downstairs quickly diminished until there were only a handful left.

"Liam and Reid." Liam stood along with an engineer Summer recognized and took the key from Law. The two headed upstairs as well, leaving the captain, Bepo, Sachi, Penguin, and Summer.

In her head, she counted out the remaining crew, frowning when the number came up odd.

"So...do I have a room to myself?" She asked hopefully. Law held up the remaining two keys, and she began to panic.

'_I'm not gonna have to share a room with that bastard, am I?'_ She swallowed hard at the thought. Law's smirk didn't go unnoticed by her.

"On the contrary, Miss Summer, you will be sharing a room with Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya since there is an odd number of people." He handed the key to a very crimson-cheeked Penguin. Shachi was in the same state. Both men stared at the key as if it were made of gold. The intensity of their gazes started to creep her out a little.

Law turned away with Bepo following in his wake. He gave Summer one last smirk before disappearing up the steps. Inside, she was seething. She glared intensely into his retreating back.

'_Damn surgeon bastard...Shitty winter island...Goddamn cold...'_

Turning back to the two engineers, she noticed they were staring at her with fearful expressions. The next thing she knew, the two were on their knees in front of her holding the key out to her.

"Here...you can have the room, Summer-chan. We don't want to be murdered in our sleep." Shachi said, clasping his hands together. Penguin nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, we can sleep down here tonight if that will make you feel more comfortable."

Her eyes widened in shock. Waving her hands out, she pushed the key back towards them.

"No, no. It's alright. We'll work something out." Even though she hated the idea of sharing a room with two men, her conscious told her that making the two sleep on a hard floor for the night because of it was just wrong. She didn't want to be selfish and stubborn. Besides, they were her nakama now.

'_Nakama...'_ She thought, her eyes downcast. She hadn't used that word until now. It felt...nice.

Steeling herself to feel a little uncomfortable that night, she looked up with a small smile. "Come on, let's check out this room, shall we?" Picking up her duffel bag, she began walking to the floor above, smirking as the two engineers hurried to catch up with her quick steps.

* * *

"The keys says B-14." Shachi said, inspecting the key they were given. Upon reaching the door, Summer took it and opened the room up.

Inside, two queen beds were separated by a small nightstand. A large window let in the faint amount of light from outside, and Summer could see a small bathroom on the left wall by one of the beds. The trio walked in cautiously. Summer placed her hands on her hips, feeling a sigh of relief pass her lips.

"Well, at least it's not one bed." Turning to look at the two, she saw that they refused to look at her. Sighing in frustration, she walked over.

"Alright, you two. Let's get this straight." Her commanding tone of voice immediately got their attention. She pointed to the side with the window. "That will be your side. And this," She said, pointing to the side with the bathroom. "This is my side. We will stay on our sides of the room the entire night, understood?" They nodded silently, and she smiled.

"Good. I don't want this to be awkward,ok? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change." Taking her small duffel bag, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Shachi and Penguin gave each other worried looks before turning their attention to the ruffling sound of clothing being taken off from the bathroom. They gulped in unison.

"Should we get to sleep now?" Penguin suggested, glancing at the bed by the window. Shachi nodded and they reluctantly took off their uniforms, constantly checking the door in case Summer came out.

Now wearing nothing but their boxers, they stuffed their clothes into their own bags and hurried under the covers of the bed, half out of fear of Summer seeing them half naked and half out of the freezing cold temperatures. The two were as stiff as a board, and they shivered even underneath the thick bedding.

Summer emerged from the bathroom after a few moments. Her hair was up high on her head, wearing her tank top and sleeping shorts that showed a generous amount of her slender legs. Shachi, who was facing her side, widened his eyes at the pleasant sight, and his cheeks began to heat up.

Climbing into the soft bed, Summer turned off the light on the nightstand before making herself more comfortable in the large pillows. Sighing heavily, she muttered a faint 'goodnight' before falling asleep rather quickly.

The two engineers gave a half-hearted response and waited until she was breathing easily to relax at all. Letting out sighs of their own, they got into more comfortable positions and waited for sleep to claim them.

* * *

Law was stretched out on the comfortable bed with his arms behind his head. Glancing over at his friend, Bepo was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling in concentration. The bear's face was scrunched up in thought, and Law smirked at the sight. Whatever he was thinking about, it was obviously serious.

Closing his eyes, he felt a pang of annoyance at the fact that he wasn't the least bit tired. Despite the soft beds and warmer rooms, his insomnia had kept him wide awake. He found comfort in knowing that that at least one other person wouldn't be sleeping well that night, and his smirk widened.

He was curious to see how his mysterious blonde crew member would fare during the night.

"Captain?" Bepo asked softly, causing Law to glance in his direction. He hummed in response, signalling Bepo to continue.

"Do you think this island has any female bears?" Shaking his head, Law closed his eyes once more.

"Perhaps. We'll have to wait and see."

* * *

Penguin woke to a familiar feeling in the lower part of his body. He groggily awoke to that feeling, eyes widening and body stiffening when he realized just what it was. Somehow, Shachi had woken as well, probably due to the unconscious movements Penguin had been making.

"What is it, man?" He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Glancing over at his friend curiously, he noticed the panicked expression.

"Dude, I have to pee."

Groaning, Shachi rolled back over to the other side of the bed in an attempt to fall back asleep. It was still dark outside. "Then go take care of it." He mumbled.

Penguin gulped, sitting up on the bed. "But...the bathroom's on Summer's side, man!" He whispered feverishly. Shachi's back stiffened at the realization. He sat up as well.

"Shit, man. What are we gonna do?" They both eyed the door on the other side of the room, then glanced at the sleeping figure in the bed opposite. Strangely, Summer's arm stuck out of a mass of jumbled covers and sheet.

"I really have to pee. I have to go over there." Penguin reluctantly admitted. Shachi looked at Penguin as if he had grown two heads.

"Didn't you hear what Summer-chan said? We stay on our sides of the room the whole night. She'll kill us or something!" He whispered back. Penguin shook his head as he slowly stood from the bed.

"Not if I don't wake her up. This is operation Don't-Wake-The-Beast, got it?" Sighing, Shachi nodded and watched anxiously as his friend tip-toed over to the bathroom door. He made sure to keep watch of Summer as well.

Each step was slow and patient, despite the raging need in his lower region urging him to rush to the door. The even breathing of the girl in the bed kept him calm enough to resist. He prayed to whatever gods were above that they wouldn't damn him to an untimely death in the middle of the night.

"You've got this, man." Shachi whispered encouragement behind him. When Penguin turned to give him a thumbs up, his foot pressed down on a loose board. The room was filled with a loud squeaking noise, and both engineers froze.

To their horror, Summer stirred slightly, mumbling nonsense as she slowly woke up. Running back to the bed would only startle her further, so Penguin stayed frozen in the spot he was at.

Summer propped herself on one elbow and took a look around the room sleepily. Taking in Penguin halfway across the room, she rubbed her eyes. "Penguin, what are you up to?" She asked, yawning halfway through her sentence.

"U-um...well…" He stuttered, looking to Shachi for help. To his despair, his friend was now pretending to be sound asleep and offered no help to his friend. Looking back at the sleepy girl, he decided to tell the truth. "I really needed to use the bathroom…" He muttered, closing his eyes in fear.

He heard a rustling and opened his eyes to see Summer nestling herself back under the covers. "Oh, ok then. Just try to be quiet." He stared in amazement as she made herself comfortable again. Walking in a daze towards the bathroom door, he wasn't all too sure if he was dreaming or not. Closing the door behind him, he decided to get his business done and get out as quickly as possible.

He finished quickly and gently opened the door, peering outside for Summer. She was still lying in the bed, facing the bathroom. He exited and closed the door softly behind him. Turning back around, his eyes caught something and what he saw made his face go crimson.

The tank top Summer was wearing had shifted slightly when she had tossed and turned about the bed, and now fully exposed one side of her red polka dot bra. Her body was set at an angle that exposed her bust easily to him.

'_Look away! Look away!'_ His mind was telling him, but he couldn't move his eyes from the wonderful view he was being given. He could feel drool beginning to leave the corner of his mouth, but nothing moved him from his spot.

"Hey, man. What are you doing?" Shachi asked, watching his friend curiously. He quietly made his way over and searched for what his friend was looking for. His eyes widened and his cheeks went red.

"Haaa…." He said, a little louder than he had meant to.

That was their undoing.

* * *

Summer lazily cracked open an eye, wondering what sound had woken her up. Noticing the two engineers standing at the side of her bed, she fully opened them, frowning in confusion. They jumped in surprise when she sat up.

"Umm...what are you doing?" They turned their gaze anywhere but her, but she had caught the direction they had been looking before. Her eyes traveling the same way, she gazed upon her exposed bra and opened her mouth in disgust.

"Oh my god!" She shouted, covering up her chest with the covers. Taking a pillow from behind her, she threw it at the flustered engineers.

"S-sorry, Summer-chan! Please don't kill us!" The two stumbled over each other in their attempt to flee the room. Summer got up and armed herself with another pillow.

"We didn't mean to!" Penguin tried assuring her, but her face showed nothing but fury towards the two.

"Get out! Perverts!" She yelled, stepping into the hall after them and throwing one last pillow in their direction. They were now down the stairs leading to the main lobby and Summer was too furious and exhausted to go after them.

"Urgh!" She growled in anger as she stomped back to her room, slamming the door shut without caring about the other sleeping occupants around her. They could all go to hell, for all she cared. Especially one sadistic captain…

One such sadistic captain heard a feminine shout from farther down the hall, followed by the loud running of feet down the steps to the lobby. A few stomping feet later, silence finally overcame the hall. He smirked in satisfaction before finally being able to drift off to a light sleep.

* * *

"Would you like some more fish, Bepo?" Summer asked, holding a bowl of raw trout out to him. Bepo sat at a large table. Beside him, two bears sat; Jenny and Deanna. He looked at both of them in turn.

"Would you like some more?" He asked them. They both giggled in response, timidly taking a few from the bowl. He simply took the rest of the bowl from Summer, who smiled and pranced away towards Law at the other side of the table. She sat down beside him and leaned against his shoulder, to which Law smirked in satisfaction. Turning back to the female bears at his side, Bepo smiled.

The table was outside on a snowy day, the perfect weather for a fish buffet, Bepo thought. Things couldn't have been better.

An endless supply of fish to eat. Bears on both arms. A satisfied captain.

What else could a bear want?

* * *

A/N- Another day, another chapter...

Wow, this thing is progressing pretty fast. It's pretty impressive if I do say so myself...*Attempt to be cool: FAIL* :l

Anywho, review and PM me any suggestions you may have. I am accepting one-shot or story arc ideas and would love to know what you think! :)

I have a poll on my profile that I would really appreciate if you voted in!

Bepo's dream was my favorite part to write! ^_^ *Sigh* Even Bepo thinks the two would be a good couple...

See you in the next chapter!


	22. Storm

A/N- Yay, I updated really fast this time! Another yay! My first chapter over 4,000 words! *cue celebratory music* :D

Seems I'm getting better at this writing thing...At least, I hope. :l

**10th Squad 3rd Seat**- I'm glad you liked it! It actually took me a long time to think of what to write for his dream. The main ones were obvious: lady bears and fish of course. But I also thought that Law's happiness was something that Bepo would dream about too. So I added that little tidbit in there as well! ^_^

I loved writing this chapter! At first, it was supposed to be longer. But I decided to split it in half and use the second part as the next chapter! Because I'm evil like that! :) *cue maniacal laughter*

The poll on my profile is still up! I would appreciate if you took the time to vote in it, I love getting feedback!

Note: To those of you who didn't already know, I have posted another story titled Memories, which is a companion story to this one. It details Summer's life through journal entries which will be updated as this story progresses. It contains details you may want to know to fully understand Summer's character. There is only 2 chapters at the moment, but I recommend following that one as well! ^_^

UPDATE: I have created a Deviantart so you guys can look at pics of the OCs! Check the link in my profile!

Onwards!

* * *

The next morning went just as Law had predicted it would.

Law was the first to rise, stalking quietly down the stairs of the inn to find his two engineers' terrified figures on the couch. They both seemed to be sobbing in their sleep, plagued by horrible nightmares. He could guess what they were about, and he smirked.

Liam and Reid were next, diverting themselves to the hot chocolate machine as soon as their feet hit the bottom step.

Bepo emerged from their shared room and sat down next to the couch, gently shaking Shachi and Penguin awake. They woke up half screaming and it took a while for them to calm down again.

More men awoke, stumbling slowly down the steps. They greeted their captain and lounged around the room to wait for the rest to wake up.

Finally, Law heard one door in particular slam open and bang against the wall. Angry stomping could be heard coming down the hall, and the crew's quiet conversations halted.

Summer emerged from the top of the stairs, circles under her eyes and her hair a mess. She was wearing Law's hoodie and her wrinkled black pants. She resembled a ghost, her eyes wide and an intense black mood surrounded her. From the perspective of the men, she seemed to be in some sort of trance.

Law looked over her disheveled appearance and couldn't help but find it...attractive. Especially her wearing his hoodie...

She walked past one man after another, oblivious to the strange looks and nervous glances the men were giving her. Law noticed the two engineers were currently trying their best to hide behind the couch, though it didn't seem as if she were paying them any attention.

"Umm...Summer-chan?" Liam asked, slowly approaching her as if she were a wild animal. He was the only one brave enough to try getting through to her. She stopped walking and gave him an intense blank stare. He recoiled slightly, reluctant to continue trying to talk to her. "Are...you alright?"

"Just fine." She muttered, once again walking past the crew. The room was silent as she carefully walked straight towards the front door. Her movements appeared stiff and awkward.

Law was curious as to what really happened the over the night, and approached the two engineers.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, what happened last night?" Hearing this, Summer stopped dead in her tracks and hurriedly spun around.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" She yelled, pointing directly to where Shachi and Penguin were hiding. " ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" Their eyes met and the glare she gave them probably would've made even a Yonko cry. The shaking walls from the storm outside were the only things permeating the silence. She hastily turned away and ran out the front door, the wind from outside slamming it shut. It took a moment for conversation to continue.

Deciding it was better for his safety, and her sanity, if he didn't ask, he walked over to the front desk of the inn, where the innkeeper looked around the room in bewilderment. Apparently, he wasn't used to such odd occurrences this early in the morning.

"How long does it take for a log pose to set?" Law asked, to which the innkeeper gratefully looked away from the crew that was now trying to see how long they could go without blinking. The older gentleman cleared his throat.

"Ah, Three days." He answered, to which Law nodded. "If I were you, I would try to stay indoors whenever possible. Blizzards have been known to spring up out of nowhere on a regular basis." He glanced at the front door where Summer had sprinted out. "Also, she might get lost if she's out there alone."

Sighing, Law gestured to Bepo to follow him outside to search for Summer.

* * *

The freezing cold air outside quickly calmed Summer down enough to think rationally. She was heading towards the submarine, intent on hiding in her room possibly long enough until they left the island.

'_Now they all think you're a nutcase...'_ She thought, remembering all the shocked faces of the crew. She had probably looked pretty senile now that she thought about it. She had been so agitated, she had forgotten to do her hair that morning. Shrugging, she continued walking.

The town was smaller than that of the previous island. There was only one main street and she could see the end of it from where she stood. The buildings were all heavily fortified against the onslaught of falling snow. Walking in her combat boots was difficult, and Summer found herself bracing against each step she took to avoid falling like an idiot.

The harsh wind made it difficult to see and she held out a hand in an attempt to keep the snow out of her eyes. The lack of a proper jacket wasn't very helpful either...

_'Seriously, how does he manage with just this hoodie?' _Summer thought harshly.

"Summer!" She heard Bepo call behind her. Turning, she watched him run through the storm as if it were nothing more than a gentle spring breeze.

'_Must be nice being a polar bear...'_ She thought.

"Summer, don't run off like that. You'll get lost."

"But the sub's just over there." She said, pointing in the direction she had been following. The bear shook his head and pointed in the opposite direction.

"No, it's over there."

Mentally face-palming herself, she kept a neutral expression on her face as she swallowed her pride and nodded. "Oh…"

_'You idiot! Nice job getting lost! Now you look like a dumbass who can't find her way to the freakin' sub like twenty feet from the inn!'_

"Come back to the inn where it's warm." Scratching the back of her head with a sheepish expression, she agreed and began walking back with Bepo beside her.

The walk seemed to last forever, but she still couldn't see where the buildings were. Glancing at Bepo, he sniffed the ground and confidently kept walking forward. Trusting his strong nose, she didn't say what was on her mind.

'_Are we even going the right direction? Did I really wander this far?''_

Their walk continued. To Summer, if felt as if the wind had picked up and struggled to walk through the intense weather. Underneath the thick snow, her foot found a particularly slippery piece of ice at the same time a strong burst of wind swept past them.

"Ah!" Losing her balance, she reached out blindly for something to stop her fall. A strong hand gripped her arm and prevented her from falling straight onto her ass. Looking up, she scowled when she saw the smirking face of Law. He hoisted her up and she brushed herself off.

"How do you expect to get anywhere with your clumsiness, Miss Summer?" He asked in amusement. She crossed her arms and refused to look at him.

"I'm a very graceful person, thank you very much." He raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Mmm…" He hummed in response, turning back towards the inn. The two followed him inside the warm building.

The men glanced up at their entrance and all eyes landed on Summer. Her face went red from all the attention and she kept her eyes focused on the ground. Law walked into the center of the room and raised his voice so they could all hear him.

"We'll wait until the storm passes to get supplies. Relax in the meantime." No one had any problem with this so they all went back to their business. Summer felt uncomfortable around the crew after her little outburst that morning. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up.

"Hey, you ok?" Liam asked, Reid standing right behind him. Now that she really had a chance to look, Reid looked a lot younger than she knew him to be. They both looked concerned, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, I just snapped. But I'm fine now. Hopefully those two aren't scarred for life." She said, glancing at the two engineers who were currently nursing cups of steaming hot chocolate.

"They'll be fine. Just give 'em a few days." Liam reassured her. The room was filled with the rich smell of chocolate and Summer glanced longingly at Liam's cup.

"Here, have this." Seeing Summer's eyes land on one of the mugs, Reid offered the second mug he was holding in his hand to her.

"Thank you." She said quietly. She missed the blush that appeared on the engineer's face. Carefully taking it so as not to burn her hand, she timidly took a sip, testing the temperature. The warm liquid filled her mouth, not too hot but not lukewarm. It was perfect and she closed her eyes in ecstasy before downing the whole thing in one go.

"I'll uh, get you another cup." Reid said, heading off towards the hot chocolate machine. The poor innkeeper was going to run out of his entire supply in one morning at the rate the pirates were drinking it.

When Reid returned, they sat in companionable silence for a long while. The crackling fire and cheerful atmosphere were a welcome reprieve to the raging storm outside.

* * *

Finally, the wind died down and the walls stopped shaking enough that the crew could safely venture out into the snow without fear of getting swept away into the unforgiving landscape.

Law stood by the door and gave out orders. "I want everyone to go in teams of two. Find the supplies we need and bring them to the sub. Do not get separated." He said sternly, to which everyone nodded their understanding.

The crew paired off and headed out the door. Summer wasn't the least bit surprised when the captain ordered her to stay there. She crossed her arms and threw him look. He didn't seem to notice, but she knew he had just ignored her.

Soon, Law and Summer were the only ones left in the inn. Bepo was to remain by the sub and help anyone with loading the supplies.

'_Great...Time alone with the sadistic doctor. Just what I wanted...' _Sighing, Summer stalked over to him.

"What are we getting this time? Medical books? Bodies? Candy from innocent toddlers? Hell, nothing would surprise me at this point…"

"Proper clothing for you, Miss Summer." He interrupted. He had just proven her wrong. She _was_ surprised. She had been about to continue her sarcastic rant, but his words left her speechless. Things for _her?_ Was he actually being..._nice?_

"Oh…" She said, feeling just a little guilty she had been so sarcastic. Only just.

"Unless, you'd rather candy from innocent children. That can also be arranged." Rolling her eyes, she cursed him under her breath. He flashed a smirk and exited the inn with her following close behind.

* * *

The duo trudged down the street in silence, nothing but the wind and their footsteps to accompany them. Summer took her time to look around the lonely little street. Barely anyone was outside, though for good reason. No one wanted to be out in such cold temperatures, but still. The lack of people left her with little impression of their culture and way of life.

"Here." Law said ahead of her, and she looked up to see a clothing store. The windows were devoid of frost, indicating that the inside was a much warmer temperature. The store owner, a man in his forties at least with bushy eyebrows, a full brown beard, and friendly eyes, smiled thinly at their entrance.

"Welcome. What may I help you with?" Law glanced around the little shop.

"She needs proper clothing for the harsh weather." He said, gesturing to Summer whose interest had been captured by a pair of thick mittens decorated with reindeer on the counter. She looked up and smiled.

The man looked her over as he walked in a circle around her, measuring her body proportions in his head, and scurried off to find clothes that would fit her. Summer followed politely behind him, giving Law a questioning glance. He nodded, not seeing the homely man as any kind of threat. Law sat down on a bench nearby, waiting for Summer to be fitted.

Holding a large pile of garments in one arm, the shop owner ushered Summer into a fitting room. She emerged wearing a dark green jacket that reached down to her knees. She spun around in front of the mirror.

"Mmm…nah." She said, shaking her head and going back behind the door. The next one was a bright orange jacket that ended at her waist. She shook her head immediately at the color and retreated back inside the dressing room.

Law, in the meantime, watched her curiously as she shopped. He had figured this little expedition would be a boring experience, but he didn't mind waiting as she tried on all the selections.

Contrary to what he might think, the shop owner did not try to sway Sumer's opinion about the clothing, simply bringing them to her and agreeing with her comments about each one. Personally, Law had never much cared for the obnoxious sales strategies that could be found in other clothing stores. It wasn't unbearable, and Law found himself feeling quite content on the soft chair in the clothing shop.

Numerous garments later, Summer emerged in a brown, army-style jacket with a faux fur trim around the hood. It fit perfectly, and Summer admired how it looked in the mirror.

"This one." She said decisively, smoothing the front down as she examined it from all angles. Law didn't miss the gleam of excitement in her eyes and stood up from his seat.

"We need boots as well." He told the shopkeeper. The man nodded and guided them towards the shoes section.

He brought Summer several pairs that were sturdy and essential for travel in the snow. Her decision came much quicker, her eyes beholding the combat-style snow boots in her hands. Her expression made Law smirk and he quickly paid for the new articles. This did not go unnoticed by Summer, who ran up beside him as they left.

"I'm half surprised you didn't steal them." He kept his gaze ahead.

"The man wasn't overbearing." Was all he said, leaving Summer with a suspicious look on her face. She quickly let it go, content with her new clothes and shoes.

The walked in silence for awhile, until Summer spoke up softly.

"Thank you, by the way." She mumbled, and Law just barely caught her words. "I appreciate the new clothes."

He didn't look in her direction, but he detected a hint of sorrow to her words. Thinking back on the little information she had given him about her past, he came to the conclusion that this was probably the first time she had actually been given nice things. Receiving anything to call her own was probably a new experience. It was then that he recognized just how tragic this girl's childhood and life thereafter were. What a normal adult woman found routine, she found fascinating and novel.

_'No wonder she appreciates the little things...'_ He thought, remembering the look of joy on her face when she had entered the shop to begin with.

He remained silent. He admitted the girl deserved some respect in that sense, so he'd allow her this one moment without teasing or sarcastic comment.

But just this once.

* * *

"There's one other thing I want to look for." Law stated, leading her towards the snowy hills at the edge of the town. The main road ended and the thickly blanketed became even harder to slog through.

"What is it you need exactly?" Summer asked, placing her feet in the spots Law's feet had already traveled to make the trek a bit easier. He turned slightly to answer her.

"It's a rare herb found in this island's mountain region. We have to pass the hills to get to them." Disbelief passed over Summer's face.

"We're going into dangerous mountains in the middle of this freezing island with nothing but the clothes on our backs? Are you insane?" She asked harshly.

"I'm not sure _you_, of all people, have the right to question my mental state." He shot back. "Your outburst this morning is proof of that." She scowled back at him.

"I think I had a pretty good reason to flip out like I did. Speaking of that...You, sir, have sick-minded men in your crew." She huffed, her breath creating large clouds in front of her. Law smirked.

"And what, may I ask, did happen last night to cause such a commotion? I believe I told you not to engage with any sort of relationship with my crew." She struggled to control her anger, baring her teeth and clenching her fists tightly against her sides.

"Hell no! And t-that's none of your business!" She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him. He noticed her red face, both from shouting and the cold air, and chuckled quietly. They kept quiet after that; Law focused on finding the rare herb and Summer trying unsuccessfully to burn a hole into the back of his head with her glare alone.

* * *

The scenery quickly changed from snow-covered hills to rising mountains and cliffs. The ground was uneven and their progress became much slower as they had to focus on the placement of their feet. One wrong step and they would end up with a broken ankle.

"Are you sure it's even here?" Summer asked, eyeing the steep climb to the top of the mountain. Law nodded.

"I read it in a medicinal herb book. It only grows in the highest altitudes of this island." He began the long trek up the mountain, glancing back with a look that said 'Are you coming or not?'

Sighing deeply, Summer followed slowly after him.

'_Following this bastard is gonna get me killed...Ah, what the hell? Why not? I just love a good hike.'' _She thought bitterly.

The path quickly ascended, and the right side of the mountain became a steep cliff. Summer peered over the edge and gulped at how high they had already climbed. She backed away from the edge quickly and noticed that Law was farther ahead of her than she felt comfortable with. Jogging to catch up, her foot slipped on an icy patch.

"Ah!" She yelled, falling to the ground and sliding backwards down the mountain. Her arms scrambled for anything to hang on to. Nothing gave her purchase, her icy fingers too numb to properly grasp anything. In her panic, she began hyperventilating.

Her wide eyes looked to Law, who wore an intense expression. He was too far away to help her, and she thought in despair that she didn't wish to die. His face was the last thing she saw before disappearing below the side of the cliff.

* * *

"Room."

Law's blue sphere covered most of the mountainside and past the point of the cliff edge. Moving his hands, he switched Summer with the snow on the ground next to him. She appeared and landed on the snowy ground with a thud. The fall made her lose her breath, and she lay gasping for air with eyes tightly shut. He crouched down next to her and inspected for any injuries.

Her attempt to stop herself from falling had caused many little red cuts along her hands and arms. They were clean, which was good, but they were bleeding as well. Everything else appeared to be uninjured. Her breathing began to even out, small puffs of air forming above her, and she opened her eyes, peering at him in relief.

"Law…" She muttered. Her skin was white as a sheet from shock, and she seemed to blend in with the snow around her.

"Can you stand?" He asked. She gave a small nod and struggled to get to her feet. With Law keeping her up by her arm, she managed to stand. It took a few moments to find her balance again, but she looked to Law and nodded, indicating she was ready to keep going.

They began walking again, albeit much slower than before. The snow was still coming down on them. It seemed to Law that the storm was getting worse, and he hoped that he could find this herb soon so they could get off the mountain quickly.

* * *

They had to stop a few times to rest and catch their breaths, but they relentlessly continued forward. By the time they reached the top of the mountain, luckily without any more incidents, the storm had become a blizzard yet again. Summer bit her lip against the strong, freezing wind blowing directly onto them.

"We have to find shelter!" Summer shouted over the roaring wind. Law narrowed his eyes and glanced around. He pointed to a place on their left. Following his gaze, Summer saw an outcropping of rocks, tall enough to offer some protection against the storm.

To their relief, a small cave lay hidden behind two of the larger rocks. It faced away from the wind and they eagerly entered the makeshift shelter. Both were breathing heavily at this point, exhausted from pushing their way through the fierce storm. Summer threw herself onto the floor and blissfully welcomed the absence of wind. Impel Down had been very similar to this island's weather, and she quickly remembered why she hated the wind so much.

It stung like a bitch.

"Now what?" Summer asked breathlessly, glancing over at the pirate captain. Law shook his head, waiting a moment to catch his breath as well.

"We wait until the storm passes." He sat down and leaned his head back against the rock wall. She followed suit on the opposite wall.

Looking out into the white expanse outside the cave, Summer hoped it would stop soon. If this continued for too long, the others would worry about them, and...

She really wanted some hot chocolate.

* * *

A/N- Now _I _want some hot chocolate... :l But we don't have any. *sobs in the corner*

As always review and PM me any suggestions you may have, I would love to hear them all! Like, seriously, I really want to know! :)

Once again, the poll is still up on my profile so be sure to vote!

So...Law and Summer. In a cave. During a storm. Alone. ^_^ What do _you _think will happen? Find out in the next chapter!

Bye, Lovelies!


	23. Conflicts of the Heart

A/N-I'm back with another chapter! Yes, I know it is SUPER late in regards to updating this story, but at least I'm still writing, right? :D *Awkward cricket sounds*

Oookkkaaayyy...Anyway, EXCITING NEWS! I have created a Deviantart for the OC's of this story as a visual reference for you lovely readers! The link is in the Author's Note at the bottom and it can also be found on my profile. Go check it out if you like, or don't! Some people like to have their own idea of what the characters look like and that's fine with me!

Ok, so part of the reason this chapter took so long is because I scrapped it about four times. None of the previous versions ended up how I wanted them to, and since it was expected that SOME kind of action was gonna take place between Law and Summer, I had to throw that in there as well. I don't think that their relationship is going to happen as fast as you guys might like or expect, but the development just seems rushed to me, so I'm taking it as slow as I think you guys can take it without sending me daily death threats. It might be because I feel like I've just written everything yesterday...Anyway, enough of me!

**10th Squad 3rd Seat-** As you requested, *ahem* demanded, some LawxSummer fluffiness is included in this little gem. And I agree. If my *boyfriend didn't like my straight-out-of-bed look, then he obviously isn't worthy of my attention! :D

*'cough' The one that doesn't exist... 'cough'

**YukikoxHisoka66-** I'm trying my best to update as soon as possible and I just now realize how horrible that cliffhanger and extended update gap must've been! ^_^ Hopefully the upcoming chapter will write themselves a little quicker than this one did.

Onwards!

* * *

The blizzard wouldn't let up. So far, it had been going for over an hour and it didn't look like it would anytime soon. Summer gazed out into the white tempest, willing it to stop long enough for them to get out of the little cave. A stinging pain brought attention to her hands, where the small cuts had stopped bleeding but still hurt when she moved around.

Her fall down the mountain had left scratches on the parts of her arm and hand that had been exposed. Everything left underneath her jacket sleeve was fine. Touching the injured limb gently, she hissed in pain when another stinging sensation went down her arm.

"Try not to do that." Law said lowly. She glanced up at the captain, who looked to be asleep on the opposite wall. His hat was low over his head, shielding his eyes from her view. He slowly sat up stretched his sore limbs.

"I don't exactly _like _the pain. I just hate not being able to do anything about." She muttered, resisting the urge to rub her arm again. The silence fell on them again, broken only by their quiet breathing and shuffled movements.

"Was this what it was like?" Law asked suddenly, watching the snow outside. She gave a him a questioning glance. He seemed to sense this, turning to her and clarifying. "In Impel Down. Was this what it felt like?"

It was her turn to gaze outside the cave, fully aware that Law was watching her curiously. The cave did feel similar to her cell in that hell hole.

"No." She finally answered, looking back to him. "Right now, I'm not starving. I have suitable clothes. I've taken a shower recently. I'm not alone. I'm not chained to a wall." She said, holding up her hands. "Imagine this without those things for over a year. That was Impel Down."

He didn't answer other than to continue staring at her. It wasn't annoyed or amused like his usual looks were. Nor did it hold pity; she _hated _pity. This one was almost...kind.

She looked away from him, her eyes finding the storm outside. The swirling motion could've been soothing, if it weren't for its freezing cold temperature. Summer's muscles refused to move more than absolutely necessary. A sigh escaped her; she was so tired. The frigid weather was physically exhausting, but she didn't dare close her eyes.

In this situation, who knew if she would ever open them again.

* * *

The cold was everything.

Her body shivered without her being able to do anything to stop it. Her new jacket had offered some protection early on, but nothing could really help against this intense cold. Across from her, Law sat huddled up as well, though he seemed to be faring much better than her.

"H-how long have...we been here?" She asked through chattering teeth. He shifted position before answering.

"Something close to two hours." He said, his voice muffled from underneath his jacket collar.

The storm outside continued to rage. It didn't even look weakened at all. If anything, it was stronger than before. She closed her eyes in frustration.

"God dammit…" She whispered. It felt much longer than what it really was, though she had no idea how Law was even able to keep track of time at this point.

Summer released a breath, harshly rubbing at her thighs, attempting to generate some warmth through the pants. It was pretty much an epic fail, because at this point she couldn't even feel her own touch from her stiff fingers through the rough material.

Unbidden, her eyes squeezed shut as if this whole thing was a dream and when she opened them she would wake up safe and warm in her room back on the sub. She would wake up in a cold sweat, just like every other time she had awoken from a nightmare. Then she would laugh at herself for even thinking up such a sucky dream in the first place and go back to sleep if possible.

She heard a rustle of clothing and knew it to be Law moving around. Probably trying to keep warm like her. She tried to focus on keeping her freezing frame warm as well, though she seemed to suck dismally at it.

Her focus broke when she felt a stiff body settle down next to her. Her eyes opened wide and took in Law sitting beside her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the fact that her leg was touching his, but she didn't have enough time to really think on it. She sat frozen in place when he leaned closer to her, his shoulder pressing against her own.

"W-w-what are you doing?!" She asked in a panic, to which he glared at her in return.

"We have to huddle close together to preserve body heat. We'll die of hypothermia at this rate." He responded, scowling at her attempts to scoot away from him. He grabbed her arm and dragged her closer, before wrapping his own around her small frame. A look of disbelief settled on her face.

'_Hell would freeze over before this bastard would ever...' _She glanced at the blizzard outside and sighed. '_Damn...Maybe I _have _died...'_

It was extremely awkward in his embrace, but she could already feel a warmth spreading through her gut, as much as she hated to admit it. She then noticed he had unzipped his jacket and it now surrounded the both of them. Underneath, he was wearing a dark blue sweater with his jolly roger across it. The collar seemed to be made up of feathers, and she thought of how warm that must be. Through the shirt, she could feel his abs against her back, and her face flushed from the intimate position they were in. His long legs rested on either side of her own, shorter ones.

'_Oh God...oh God...oh God!'_ What was she supposed to do? Die of hypothermia or die of embarrassment? At this point, she was really considering the first option…

"Quit moving around." He said huskily. Law's breath warmed the back of her neck and she froze in surprise. His hold tightened, just enough to stop her efforts of escape but not enough to crush her. Lacking the ability to speak, she nodded.

His strong arms pressed her against his chest, and her breath quickened of its own accord. She didn't dare turn to look at him; no doubt he would notice her flushed cheeks and tease her mercilessly for them. Knowing that he was known for his sadism and brutality, she didn't really want the renowned Surgeon of Death getting anything to blackmail her with.

She was conscious of where he had his hands; one rested on each side of her hips. They squeezed just slightly, as though he thought she would run away. True, that had been the first thought in her mind, but the spreading warmth from his body was too tempting to miss. Through the daze her mind seemed to be in, she unconsciously registered his scent; he smelled faintly of hospital and musk and something altogether male. And damn her all to hell, she didn't hate it.

He seemed to relax against her, and his breathing became more regular. This strange effect began to happen to her as well, and Summer found herself calming down. The close contact had stopped the memories of Impel Down from flooding her mind, despite her claim that it was nothing like it. It just helped to be reminded of the fact that she was, in fact, free from that living hell.

They said nothing as they held each other close, too intent on keeping warm to bother with any conversation. Besides, at this point any discussion would be extremely awkward in the first place. Not something Summer really wanted to take part of, and it seemed Law wasn't keen on saying anything either.

Summer realized that if she wanted to survive the freezing temperatures, she would have to put up with cuddling the Dark Doctor for just a little longer. And curse her inner feelings, she didn't know whether she liked that or not.

'_God help me...'_

* * *

It was obvious Summer was uncomfortable.

Her shoulder and back tensed under his arms, and her breathing quickened. The visible puffs of air were evidence of that. Her legs stiffened and she began to squirm. He tried getting a better hold on her, but she kept resisting.

"Quit moving around." Law said gruffly, trying to get her to understand that if they didn't do this they would both die from the cold. Something must have gotten through to her because she did stop. Her body was still stiff as a board but at least she wasn't making it harder than it needed to be.

Law wasn't comfortable either. It's not that he hated the position they were in; it was necessary after all. But he wasn't a man to force himself on a woman. He was pretty sure if this were any other situation, that's exactly how the girl would be taking it. Not that he blamed her. It was pretty damn well close to it. But doing something that made her uncomfortable just seemed...wrong.

She had lived in discomfort her entire life, and he didn't think she deserved any more unease than what life already produced. Not that he would tell her that. Sure, he teased her and let her get into uneasy situations with the crew, but this was something entirely different.

Law frowned, wondering where these thoughts were coming from.

'_Why do I even care?'_

Summer's tense body was making his back strain uncomfortably and he decided that unless she loosened up, he would be stuck in this hunched over position until the storm passed. And who knew how long that would last.

Knowing that she wouldn't relax until he did, he closed his eyes. Forcing his muscles to relax, his body pressed gently into her back. At first she simply froze up again, but slowly her own body lost its tense edge and she leaned against his chest. Her breathing was returning to normal, so Law didn't have to worry about her hyperventilating and passing out. Although, now he was considering if that was a terrible thing after all…It would certainly reduce the amount of tense awkwardness that had settled over them. He shook his head slightly. If she lost consciousness, she would most likely die.

He found himself hyper aware of how she fit into the shape of his chest. Her small frame made her appear fragile and weak, though he knew she was anything but. The small body that sat in front of him housed the spirit of a killer. The gleam of sadistic pleasure in her eyes during the battle on the beach had sent a curious thrill up his spine. Just thinking about it made him smirk.

As tempting as teasing her to no end might have been, he didn't say anything out of the severity of the situation they found themselves in. There was a distinct possibility that if the storm didn't ease up soon, they could die in this cave. Law had faced death before, but what irked him the most was the fact that this time it was not a battle that would kill him but the random event of a natural weather pattern.

How pathetic.

He hadn't found One Piece and claimed the title of Pirate King. He hadn't put his plans for Doflamingo into action yet. He hadn't even killed Eustace Kidd yet and God, did he want to do that. No, Law would not die from some damn storm in the mountains. He would die either at the hands of his enemies, or by the product of his own strategies. No, his time had not come.

Not until Kidd was dead, at least.

* * *

Hours. That's how long the storm lasted.

Several hours had passed before the wind even began to die down. It took another hour just for the snow to cease its pummeling of the earth. The absence of the relentless snowfall left the air strangely empty, as if a void had been created in the expanse of sky. She only realized the storm had passed when Law began to shift behind her, shaking her from her own deep thoughts.

"It looks safe enough to leave now." He said, slowly rising to his feet. She pushed herself up as well, brushing off some loose snow from her pants. Law shifted from foot to foot, testing his balance and muscles. Zipping up his jacket, he looked to her in expectation. She nodded her head, signalling she was ready to go.

They cautiously stalked out of the small cave and looked around them. Everything was flat and white. Not a disturbance in the snow to be found. The distance mountains looked like gentle hills with the blanket of snow on them.

A gentle flurry fell as they continued their journey. The snow was much thicker than it had been before, hindering their progress even more than before. Law led the way again, though at a much slower pace. Squeezing her arms around herself, she asked a question that had made its way into her mind.

"How are we even supposed to find this herb? From the looks of it, it's gonna be buried in snow. I don't know about you but I am _not _going digging through the snow just for some damn plant." She said, huffing in irritation. He gave her an annoyed look but didn't retort.

"This herb naturally grows in very cold environments at high altitudes, but it gives off a significant amount of heat. The temperatures surrounding it would melt any snow that came in contact. We should spot it immediately." He searched the surrounding area as he explained. She gave a doubtful look but shook her head and resumed looking.

* * *

They walked for another twenty minutes or so, though Summer didn't even know if it was still the same day they had set out to be honest. For all she knew, they could have been walking for hours. Law suddenly took a sharp turn right and headed in that direction.

"Over there." He said, pointing in front of them. Summer craned her neck and spotted a clear patch of grass farther ahead of them. It gave off a faint red glow.

"Wow…" She muttered upon reaching the spot. A plant with heart-shaped leaves and glowing red centers grew in large numbers. They were spread over a good sized area, probably ten feet in diameter. The grass flourished, a stark contrast to the pale white surroundings she had trekked through on their journey.

Law knelt and began gathering the herb. Summer picked a different spot and began taking the whole head of the plant, as Law was doing.

"So, what are these even supposed to do?" She asked, carefully plucking the tops of the plant off. She had noticed that the stems were laden with sharp thorns; if she wasn't careful, her thumb would be cut open.

"The enzymes in the leaves speed up the recovery process of wounds." He quickly explained. He had a cloth bag in his hands and she added her flower tops to the inside as well. She assumed he had filled the bag, as he quickly tied off the top and stuffed in back inside his jacket somewhere. In the process, he unzipped in slightly, giving Summer a quick glance at the dark blue sweater with his jolly roger underneath. The image gave her flashbacks of the cave and she blushed.

If Law noticed, he didn't give any sign of it, which was odd. Usually he jumped on every opportunity to heckle her, but he had remained strangely quiet since their refuge in the cave. She shook her head to herself, not wanting to think much about that.

Law glanced at the sky and frowned. "There should be a few more hours of daylight left. We should be able to make it back to the inn by tonight." She nodded and they began their trek back down the mountain.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set behind the distant mountains, and they still had several miles to walk. Law silently lead them down, with Summer behind and slightly to his right. Noticing the snow around them had changed to an orange-red color, she glanced at the sky and let out a faint gasp in surprise.

She had a perfect view of the sunset. Halfway down past the mountain, the rich colors painted the landscape in bright hues and created long shadows for the few trees they past. The valley below them was cast in an orange glow. It was breathtaking.

She marveled at the beauty of it all, how simple and _normal_ it all was. Something so beautiful couldn't be so regular, could it? Thinking back on the last time she had taken the time to fully appreciate a sunset, she lowered her eyes to the snow at her feet.

'_Through all this time, how many of these have I missed?'_

'_How many sunsets of my life have I lost?'_

* * *

'_Just another hour or so.'_ Law thought, gazing straight ahead as they trudged through the thick snow. The going was slow as they walked downhill on the side of the mountain. Glancing to his right, he spotted the place he was pretty sure Summer had almost taken a tumble down the mountain earlier that day. It was almost impossible to tell from the newly fallen snow, but instincts told him it was there.

Though why his instincts decided that was an important fact to remember, he wasn't entirely sure.

A tiny gasp behind him made him turn to Summer, and he raised an eyebrow.

Her eyes were rapt with wonder as she remained fixed on the setting sun in the west. A tiny, genuine smile touched her face and Law couldn't seem to look away. Her eyes shone with the same intensity as before, but this time they held nothing but fascination and adoration. The orange light made her pale skin glow and her fair hair shine. This happiness, the one that produced such an expression of joy upon her face, Law realized that these moments wouldn't happen often. Knowing it would probably be a long time before he saw that look again, he burned the image into his mind.

Not that he intended to. His brain just decided to do what it wanted.

Suddenly that wonderful happiness became tainted with a deep sorrow, one that Law knew came from deep within her being. Her eyes clouded, and her head lowered slowly. The dejection and pain etched across her features was the embodiment of the pain he saw in her eyes every time she went into deep thought. She probably thought no one could see it, but Law excelled at reading people. It wasn't that hard to notice, if one was intentionally looking for it.

Something in his chest began to ache, and he frowned down at his chest. What kind of pain was this? It wasn't something he was used to experiencing, but he had begun to notice that Summer seemed to instigate these strange feelings surfacing from inside.

Sometimes it was an ache, but other times it was a pleasant feeling. Such as the incident in the cave. The warm feeling didn't seem to just be the body heat they were getting from one another. At first, Law believed it to be lust. But he had experienced that feeling with other women on islands on the Grand Line, and none of them felt the way she made him feel.

And he hated it. To think she would so quickly worm her way under his skin and affect him in such a way that left him frustrated and confused. The closest he could come to an answer would be love, but that was ridiculous.

He was the Dark Doctor, the Surgeon of Death, one of the eleven Supernova of the Worst Generation known exclusively for his sadistic tendencies and brutality.

He was not c_apable _of love.

One glance in her direction confirmed that she was still deep in her thoughts, oblivious to Law's own inner turmoil. Good, he didn't want her thinking he had started going soft.

Angrily shaking his head with a scowl, he turned his attention back to the long walk ahead of them.

The cold and the prolonged storm had starting to affect him in more ways than he cared to admit.

* * *

A/N- Thank you, all you lovelies, for reading my super-late-in-updating chapter! I hope you review and leave me a PM letting me know how I'm doing and if there are any major mistakes I may have missed or with any suggestions you may have!

I know you have been so patient in waiting for this little piece, and I am greatly sorry that I just sucked butt this week in writing stuff. But I promise I am doing everything in my power to remain motivated!

Just a reminder, I have set up a Deviantart account with pictures of the OC's in this story as a helpful visual for you guys! Just click the link below or on my profile and it will take you there right away!

See you in the next chapter! :D


	24. Changes

A/N-Hello my lovely readers! In compensation with not updating for a long time with the last chapter, here's this one right away! Hope you enjoy!

I realized I'm a huge idiot and didn't put the link for my Deviantart account in the chapter even though I said it was at the bottom...Way to go me...

But the link is still on my profile if you wish to see the pics.

Also, the poll on my profile is still underway. So if you haven't voted already, be sure you do! I would love to know what you think!

**angryHarlequin- **Yay! I'm super glad you liked it! :D I agonized over that one forever and I'm happy it turned out to satisfaction! Thank you for being an awesome reviewer! :)

**10th Squad 3rd Seat-** You are so welcome on the fluff! I enjoy a bit of LawxOC fluff myself, but writing it just seemed like it wasn't anything like the ones I'veread before. So I'm glad it turned out great! Also, thank you for being such a faithful reviewer, you've helped me a great deal! :D

**Vivianne95-** So do I! But who knows when that'll happen? Not me! This story writes itself, so Law will figure out he's in love whenever he feels like feeling it...if that made any sense whatsoever. And thank you for reviewing my chapters, you've been a great help! :D

To other reviewers of the past, I thank you as well! Your support is what keeps me writing! Without you, there is no motivation!

Onwards!

* * *

Penguin put on his best poker face as he timidly took a card from the deck. Shachi stared him down, trying to discern any piece of information from his eyes or slight face movements. His left hand held a 10, jack, queen, and king of diamonds. All he needed was an ace.

'_Come on...come on...' _

Slowly, he grasped the top card and pulled it to the others. His eyes closed as he said a silent prayer. Cracking open an eye, he examined his card.

He fought the urge to break out into a wide smile as he eyed the much-needed ace of diamonds. Placing it at the end of his cards, he glanced up at Shachi. His face was set in concentrating lines, eyes scanning the cards in his hand back and forth. Every once in a while, he would move a card or two over.

Bepo, who had shed his orange jumpsuit, sat next to them and watched in amusement as the two engineers played their card game. He made quick glances at the door every few minutes, starting to get worried about their missing crewmates. Penguin seemed to notice this and was quick to reassure him.

"Bepo, quit worrying about Captain! A measly storm wouldn't take him down." Shachi nodded, still debating strategies.

"It's not Captain I'm worried about." He replied, once again checking the front door for any sign of the blonde girl or the Captain.

The storm had blown through the town not long after Law and Summer had left the inn. Knowing Law was a very smart and level-headed man, the bear didn't worry too much. But it never hurt to be too cautious.

"Don't be getting all depressed now. Get some hot chocolate or something!" Penguin said, turning to Shachi who was now picking up a card with great hesitation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bepo's head lower.

"I'm sorry." He said. Penguin sweatdropped at his crewmate's reaction.

'_So easily defeated...'_

The door to the inn burst open, and all eyes turned to the two figures entering the room. A very red-in-the-face Summer stumbled in behind the collected captain. Relieved greetings were echoed throughout the room. Bepo cheered up instantly, standing and approaching his friend.

"Captain, you were gone longer than we expected." He accepted Law's sword which was offered and followed him over to the hot chocolate and coffee machine.

"The storm held us up." Bepo noticed Law's discreet glance at the blonde kitchen assistant. She was shivering, even bundled up in her new jacket, on the lobby's couch. Several men approached with blankets and kind words. She smiled gratefully at their thoughtfulness.

"Did something happen, Captain?" He began pouring himself some coffee and didn't look up to answer.

"No." Was his immediate reply. Deciding not to push the topic, Bepo wandered over to Summer, who was now wrapped in several blankets. Her shivering had stopped, at least.

"Bepo!" Her face lit up when he approached. Shachi and Penguin were seated on the floor at her feet, chatting and arguing like usual.

"Baka! Summer-chan doesn't want _you_ to cuddle with to keep warm. She'd much prefer me, right Summer-chan?" Shachi asked with a wide smile. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Penguin's angry retort.

"Says who?"

"Says me!" They closed in on each other until finally their foreheads touched and they were baring their 'fangs' at each other, so to speak.

"Who cares what you think?" Penguin said. Shachi growled in response.

"Summer-chan does!" Summer glanced around as if looking for something to distract them.

"Uh, guys…" They weren't listening and promptly tackled one another to the floor where they figured out which one of them was more suited for keeping her warm. She turned back towards the bear and held out her arms for a hug. A childish grin split her face.

Bepo came closer and closed his eyes at the pleasant feeling of Summer's soft touch. Her hands rubbed his furry belly in small patterns. He could feel her hum in delight. Opening his eyes, he took in the jealous engineers glaring daggers at him.

"Not cool, Bepo! It's not fair that you have fur and we don't." They grumbled. Summer laughed at their expressions.

"Sorry, but Bepo is most suited for keeping someone warm."

Bepo glanced around the room as the others talked. He noticed Liam looking over towards them. The medic quickly looked away when he noticed Bepo's attention was on him. A faint blush marked his cheeks.

Looking somewhere else, Bepo met Law's even gaze. A mug of coffee cradled between his hands, he watched the girl's interaction with the others. Bepo saw the captain's subtle frown before he turned away towards the stairs to their rooms. Searching the room a little longer, he noticed several gazes watching the girl snuggle deeper into his fur.

It seemed everyone was a little jealous of his position as expert cuddler.

* * *

_Purupurupuru…Purupurupuru...Purupuru...Gatcha…_

"This is Marine Headquarters. We have just received a report regarding the location of the Heart Pirates. They have landed on an island ten kilometers directly south of your location, known as Nix. 'Red Hunter' Summer is with them as well. Please exercise caution. You are not authorized to use lethal force. Incapacitate and capture the target." The marine held the receiver tighter at the report. She recovered and quickly answered.

"This is Commander Mona aboard the Vessel _Phoenix_. How many pirates make up the Heart Pirates?"

"It is estimated to be 30-50 men. Intel on the Heart Pirates is still lacking."

"Please inform the Shichibukai of her location as well." She said, referring to the Shadow fruit user. "I will make my way there now."

"Roger." The line at the other end hung up, leaving the snail silent.

Turning towards the navigators, she ordered them to head south immediately.

* * *

"Please inform the Shichibukai of her location as well. I will make my way there now."

"Roger." The line went dead.

"Hmm…" Viper slowly hung up his listening device and leaned deep into his chair. A hand rubbed his chin, where a few days worth of stubble remained.

Standing slowly, he made his way to the large map on the wall. Many islands had red-slashed dots, indicating decimated towns and cities.

The map was littered with them.

Following the map to where Nix was located, he narrowed his eyes. Even if they left now at full speed, they wouldn't be able to arrive before the marines. Despite this drawback, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Well, love, it seems our reunion will be delayed a little longer. Just sit tight a while."

* * *

That night spent in the inn was uneventful. The sleeping arrangements were still to be the same as the night before. Both engineers made a point of relieving themselves before even getting into bed. Much as the event from the night before had set her off, Summer just grinned and settled deeper down into the soft comforter.

It seemed that as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. The day had been exhausting, physically and mentally.

Images from Impel Down had flashed across her mind while they were in the mountains, and she now wondered if she would ever fully recover from her experiences there. If she could move on from the other things, her time in prison could be purged from her mind as well.

At the thought of her adventure of the day, her mind wandered to the feeling of being held in Law's arms. She squeezed her eyes tighter and forced herself to forget that thought.

She was _not_ going to think about what it felt like. The feel of his arms around her middle, or his heated breath against the back of her neck. Or his hardened chest against her back. Or…

'_Stop!'_ She thought, feeling her face heat up. Placing her cold hands against her face, she tried to cool them down, telling herself to forget all about that egotistical bastard that was her captain.

'_I'm in way too deep...I need to get my shit together.'_ She told herself with a firm head shake. But another part of her, a _tiny sliver_ of her mind, told her otherwise.

'_You liked the feeling.' _It said. '_You desire him.'_

"No…" She whispered to herself. The comforter suddenly seemed way too hot to be underneath and she threw them off her body. Laying on top of the spread in nothing but her tank top and short sleep shorts, she stared up at the ceiling in misery.

'_What the hell is happening to me?'_

* * *

_A/N-Thanks again for all my wonderful readers and reviewers! It always feels amazing to read what you guys think and feel!_

_As always review and PM me with any suggestions or questions you may have. I would love to answer them. Seriously. I'm like super lonely and have no one to talk to..._

_Anyways, see you in the next chapter! :D_


	25. Encounter

A/N- Hello again! I apologize for the short absence, I am currently studying for a Med. Anatomy and Physiology test that is on Monday. So that is kinda taking up my time!

I also apologize for the short chapter. Again, I blame the test.

Just a small note, if you haven't already go check out my other story 'Memories.' It is a companion story to this one that will provide details into Summer's past. Also be sure to check out my Deviantart with pics of the OC's from the story. THe link is in my profile. (I've created a few more that will be uploaded as they are introduced in!)

**HesperideIsis-** I was pretty proud of myself for that chapter. I hope I captured Summer's frustration (and a tiny bit of Law's) pretty well! ^_^

**Vivianne95-** I'm a sucker for puppy eyes! Stop it! :D Anyway, thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it! I will try to update in the next few days since this chapter was so small!

**10th Squad 3rd Seat-** In fact, Law was jealous. Maybe I didn't show that well enough, but that's what I was going for... And I want to thank you for being such a dedicated reviewer! ^_^

Onwards!

* * *

It seemed like a miracle to the Heart Pirates when the snow actually stopped falling. The sun had risen no more than an hour ago, though it still offered no warmth to Summer. The air was cold and clear, but the act of wandering around the town was now manageable.

Her arms wrapped around herself and she thanked her pants for being a thicker material, Reid for giving her a scarf with their jolly roger on the end, and begrudgingly acknowledged Law's contribution in buying her the jacket.

'_Thank God I'm out of there.'_ She thought, glad she was away from the cramped inn lobby. For a reasonably small crew, in her opinion, the main lobby was much too small for all of that testosterone. Sure, she got along better with men than with women, but there was a limit to the amount manly roughness she could take.

"Summer, where are we going?" Bepo asked, walking alongside her. She glanced at the bear and smiled.

'_Bepo doesn't count...'_ She thought. '_I could never get enough of Bepo.'_ In answer, she shrugged.

"No place in particular. Just wandering." The bear nodded, satisfied that there wasn't any danger in what they were doing. If another storm came in, he would be quick to take her back to the inn.

The road was quiet, save for a few residents shoveling away the snow from their doorways. It seemed like a feeble effort, but she didn't say anything about it. To her surprise, one little boy helping his mother outside noticed them pass by and gave a small wave. She hesitantly waved back, surprised that the locals weren't very hostile to the pirates.

'_They must get a lot passing through.'_

The main street continued, and the two passed the clothing shop Summer had visited before as well as countless others. The windows were all warmly lit, waiting for someone to step through the door and sit by the fire. It was just so cozy.

The air was so cold, she couldn't feel herself smiling. Unconsciously, she began humming a tune aloud. At first it wasn't any sort of recognizable song, just random notes that sounded pleasant when strung together. It soon began to take shape into a familiar melody that she remembered from a long time ago.

'_Edelweiss, edelweiss, every morning you greet me...'_ She began singing the lyrics in her mind, unaware of Bepo's eyes watching her moment of bliss. '_Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me.'_

She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and accidently ran into a young woman walking in front of the pair. The woman's elbow reflexively pushed into Summer's stomach and she felt as the wind was knocked out of her. A strangled grunt escaped her lips, and she caught herself on her back foot. Startled out of her thoughts, Summer looked up into the terrified eyes of the woman.

She pointed a small dagger-though it looked more like a letter opener-towards them. From the way she held it, Summer could tell she wasn't experienced in combat at all. Her short hair was colored a blood red, she wore a dark purple shirt and black jacket and Summer wondered how in the hell she hadn't spotted her in the first place. She stood out like a sore thumb.

"Please...leave me be, pirates." She begged, hands on the dagger beginning to shake nervously. Her lip quivered and Summer took a step back, aware that their close proximity wasn't helping the girl's anxiety.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you. We weren't going to hurt you or anything. So why don't we put the knife down, huh?" She gently goaded, watching as the woman's eyes quickly flashed suspicion and apprehension. It took a few moments before she slowly loosened her grip on the hilt and slid it back into her messenger bag slung across her waist.

"Are you alright?" Bepo asked, and the girl froze up again. Her eyes widened as she took in all that was Bepo. Her silence stretched on, and poor Bepo must have taken this as a sign of disapproval. "I'm sorry." He muttered with his head lowered.

"Umm...that's...alright?" She said, clearly uncomfortable and confused as to how to respond to the situation. Summer held out her hands.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I was pretty shocked when I figured out he talked too." She said, trying her best to make this strange encounter as un-awkward as possible. Though, it had already crossed the super-awkward line at this point.

She glanced away and wrung her hands. "It's alright. M-my name's Kat, by the way." She mumbled. A half-hearted, pathetic excuse for a wave was sent their way. Internally, Summer deadpanned.

'_Could this woman be any more awkward? Seriously...' _She audibly sighed.

"Well, sorry to bother you. We'll get going now." They began to walk away but the woman grabbed onto Summer jacket sleeve.

"Wait...are you...actually pirates?" Her eyes were hard to discern, but Summer thought she saw a spark of fascination...or awe, or something. The hand on her sleeve gripped tighter, preventing her from leaving.

"Yes?"

"What is it like...being a pirate I mean?" She wouldn't meet her eyes, and the arm that held onto her sleeve shook. Summer gave a very confused look, then shrugged.

"It's fun, I guess. Full of adventure and all, but not exactly the safest career." The hand let go of her sleeve and Summer drew her arm back to herself.

The girl kept her head down and shuffled her feet, fingers fiddling with themselves. She looked to be the same age as her, but her innocence seemed like that of a toddler. Summer was about to ask why it mattered, but a distant shout drew everyone's attention farther down the street. The girl's eyes widened and she took a few steps away from them.

"I-I have to go." She whispered before taking off in the other direction, short hair bouncing with every step.

"She was kind of weird." Bepo said, watching as the girl turned a corner. Summer nodded and continued walking.

"Yeah. I don't know what her problem was." She shook her head, ridding the strange girl from her mind. "Let's go." Bepo followed close behind her.

* * *

A/N- Again. Sorry for the hella short chapter. Yeah.

Hmm...who is this mysterious girl? When will the marines arrive? What is in store for Law and Summer's relationship? _Will Bepo ever meet a female polar bear!?_

Who knows? :D Because I don't...

Review and PM me with any suggestions you may have, I would love to hear them! Really. Do it. Right now. :l

I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed today and that means I'm not allowed to eat anything! D:

*Gasp* No food? _The horror!_

So, have any funny or crazy wisdom tooth stories? I would love to hear them! :D

Well, I will see you in the next chapter! :D


	26. The Dinner Dilemma

A/N- So, this wisdom teeth thing is seriously kicking my butt... I can't eat anything relatively hard still and it's almost been a whole week since the surgery. My mouth hates me. :l

I'm back with a late chapter (in my opinion. Although anything past a day is late I guess...) I wasn't fully satisfied with this one, but I wasn't sure how to reintroduce the character again. I think I did well enough though...I hope.

**Note:** I do not put the disclaimer in my chapters anymore (no, that is NOT because I own One Piece. Because I don't. Dang it all...) I just decided to become lazy and not write another line into these intros. I'm lazy like that. So yeah. They still apply though, the only characters I own are the OC's I have created.

**HesperideIsis-** Thank you for the well wishes! Bepo is too adorable to tell on Summer! He would never do such a thing! :D

**10th Squad 3rd Seat-** I am so sorry about the braces thing. I only had them for 2 1/2 years before I told them to take them off. My teeth moved back in like 3 weeks anyway. But oh well. Yay! I like new people! The things I have planned in store for her... :)

Onwards!

* * *

Summer didn't think much about the strange woman she had met earlier. In fact, she didn't think much about anything other than the glistening frozen pond in front of her. She stood staring in amazement at the glittering expanse of ice. No one was skating right now, but she could see faint skate marks scratched all over the surface.

"Look at that…" She murmured. Bepo nodded his head as well, watching as Summer observed the frozen lake.

"Do you think they have a shop that sells skates?" She asked him.

"I saw one on the main street before." He responded. She gave a gleeful little giggle and ran back towards the town, pulling Bepo by the paw.

The shop was on the opposite side of the street from the clothing store. The front was similar, but instead of several small window it was designed with one large one. Two mannequins were posed in skating position. Summer stood outside with her hands on the glass. Her wide eyes took in the laced shoes and snowflake-patterned gloves the models wore. Bepo smiled, happy that Summer was enjoying herself. Suddenly, the awed expression changed to one of sorrow. She slowly backed away from the window.

"They're probably really expensive." She said. Shrugging with a sad smile, she gestured for Bepo to follow. He had to hurry to catch up, as she was already far ahead of him.

"Do you want to buy the ice skates?" An audible sigh escaped her lips, and she glanced back at the store windows.

"Yeah, but…" She paused. "I don't need them. It's just something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl." She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets, hunching her shoulders in the process. Bepo looked at her in confusion.

"You've never been ice skating?" She shook her head. "Maybe Captain will let you buy them."

She felt the sturdy material of the jacket and shrugged. Her feet trudged through the soft snow slowly. "Maybe…" She said disheartedly. By this time, they had stopped on the street and were still looking back at the store.

'_He's already been too kind to you. Don't take his kindness for granted. You're not on the streets anymore.'_

After a few more seconds of staring, she shook her head and headed back with Bepo following close behind. "Come on, Bepo. Let's go back to the sub."

* * *

Law sat in his quarters reading one of his medical books, drinking the ever-present mug of coffee that sat on the desk. He'd started reading hours ago, but he still turned the pages with as much interest as he had when he had first picked it up.

Law was frustrated.

The book was a feeble attempt to get his mind off of one person in particular, and it had worked for the most part. The intensive scientific explanations and prodecural descriptions really took his full attention. But her face would slip into his subconscious every once in a while, and it would take longer for him to shake her from his thoughts each time it happened.

Running a hand through his hair with a sigh, he noticed his mug was empty. He pushed up from his seat, stretching his stiff muscles. Passing several men in the halls, he made his way to the kitchen.

The crew had moved back into the submarine after their stay at the inn. Much as he enjoyed the warm rooms the inn offered, he always slept better onboard the submarine.

Passing by one of the small windows in the hallway, he was surprised to see it was almost evening. The sun was close to the horizon, casting a faint yellow glow on the snow outside. It was then the aroma of cooking meat filled his nose and he once again turned towards the kitchen.

'_Dinner should almost be ready. I should probably eat something.'_ He thought to himself, feeling his stomach rumble. He was starting to feel a little light headed, now that he thought about it. Perhaps dinner would be best.

* * *

The mess deck was packed with men, some playing cards and others already drunk and attempting to sing off-keys melodies. The laughing and shouting was almost deafening but he had gotten used to such noise. Tough and serious his crew might seem, but not one of them missed an opportunity to party.

He searched out his usual seat in the corner where he could observe in relative peace. Most of the commotion happened around the center tables, where the more boisterous engineers and medics tended to sit.

So it didn't come as a surprise to find Penguin and Shachi seated in the middle of the group, recounting the tales of adventures on some island previous. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but judging from their hand gestures and the rambunctious laughter of their audience, it was quite a captivating story.

The door to the kitchen swung open and Summer hurried out with plates of food. She was greeted by hearty cheers and shouts to bring about the food to men first. He smirked as she just rolled her eyes and shook her head, replying with a patient 'You'll get it when you get it!' A light smile crossed her face as she served and weaved through the demanding crowd.

Her hair was messily tied up onto her head, where it fell down her back in tangled waves. A black apron with their jolly roger was tied around her waist, hiding her usual tank top and jeans. Her face was red, presumably from standing in front of the stoves and hot equipment of the kitchen.

He realized he was staring, but he decided that he didn't care. He was the captain. He did what he wanted. Why should he do anything otherwise?

Eventually, she brought over his own plate. Bepo had joined him, carrying over a special meal of raw salmon he had received from Casper. He hadn't failed to notice that she left his table for last, taking a loop around the room before coming back to his. Whether or not that was because of the fact that he was staring at her, he wasn't sure.

"Here." Was all she said as she set the food in front of him. He eyed the plate with interest; roasted chicken with vegetables and a bread roll. Inwardly, he smirked. He decided he hadn't teased his blonde crew member enough in the past few days.

'_Time for some fun.'_

"Miss Summer." She turned back around, having already been on the way back to the kitchen for her own meal. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking him what it is he wanted. He glanced down at the plate. "I do not think you have been informed of the fact that I do not eat bread."

She glanced down at the plate as well. Looking back at him, she shrugged slightly. "And?"

"I refuse to eat this. I demand another plate." He said, cocking his head to the side to wait for her angry outburst.

He was surprised to see the barest hint of a smile cross her face, only for an instant, before asking. "You won't eat it because you don't like bread? Really?"

This was not what he expected. The anticipated snap of her temper was what he had wanted to see. He raised a brow of his own in irritation as she snorted in amusement before taking the plate back up. To his further surprise, she swiped the bread off the plate and took a huge bite out of it herself. Swallowing the food, she grinned widely.

"More for me then!" Turning her back on the captain, she continued eating the last of the roll. "You don't know what you're missing! And no dinner for you!" She said in a singsong voice, disappearing back into the kitchen.

Law was left somewhat speechless in the corner seat as he stared after the strange blonde cook assistant. Shaking his head, he turned to Bepo who sat across from him.

"I will never understand that woman." Bepo looked thoughtful before answering slowly.

"Maybe she was just hungry." He supplied. The captain continued to shake his head, noting that his stomach continued to growl angrily. Bepo didn't know this, so the bear went back to eating his fish in delight.

* * *

Summer returned twice more; once to fill his coffee mug, albeit smirking knowingly the whole time as if she was privy to some big secret. The other was to clear the mess left by the men. She hadn't even glanced his way. Other than that, she seemed to stay in the kitchen during dinner.

The surrounding crew didn't say anything, so Law assumed this was a normal occurrence. Slowly, men retired to their own quarters for the night, leaving alone or in groups. Soon, there was only a handful of the crew left in the mess deck, and Law stood to return to his own room.

The sun had long since set, leaving the room lit only in the lights inside. Law glanced out the window at the black landscape. The snow surrounding them was empty. Only a few streetlights farther up the street lit up the main road.

Bepo rose from his seat as well. The bear yawned and made to walk out the door but only made it a few steps.

He stopped walking and raised his nose to the air, sniffing a few times with a look of concentration. Law noticed this and frowned.

"What is it?" He asked, watching Bepo carefully. The bear glanced out the window.

"Someone's coming." He said. Law looked out the window once more.

Unlike before, a dark figure was hastily making their way through the previously undisturbed snow. They were still too far away to make out any details, but it was obvious they were frantic or running in panic. The strangest part was they were heading straight for the submarine.

"Are they hostile?" Law asked, taking his nodachi from the bear who had been holding it during dinner. He hadn't even needed to say a word. Bepo knew him well enough to know when he wanted his sword.

"No, they smell afraid. It smells...familiar." He said in confusion. Law glanced at his friend curiously before turning his attention to the figure again. They were much closer now, and he could vaguely make out that the person wore a thick black or brown shawl or cloak.

"Shall we greet them, then?" The captain muttered, moving towards the hatch. Bepo followed, making sure not to alarm the crew to anything strange.

By the time they had opened the hatch and stood on top of the yellow sub, the person had almost made their way to them. From there, Law could hear the person's labored breathing and running footsteps. When he judged them to be no more than 40 feet away, close enough for his comfort, he called out.

"Unless you wish to die, stay where you are." His voice carried through the cold night air straight to their ears, and they hesitated before stumbling forward a few more steps. Narrowing his eyes, Law unsheathed his nodachi a few inches. Whomever it was didn't seem threatening, but looks could be deceiving.

"Please…" A female voice called. "Please help me." She sounded tired and desperate and frantic, a whole mix of emotions. He still wasn't convinced of anything.

"Give me a reason as to why I shouldn't kill you where you stand." He said, his tone as cold as the air around them. The woman gave a strangled sob, before falling to her knees.

"_Please...they're after me…"_ She crawled towards them a few feet before passing out in the snow. He stared for a few seconds, but she didn't move. Law sheathed his nodachi with an exaggerated sigh.

"Great. Another woman I have to deal with." He said, jumping down from the roof to bring her inside.

* * *

A/N-And that concludes this amazing chapter! :D

Review and PM me with any suggestions you may have! I seriously need some inspiration with future chapter and arcs and events and whatnot that I panicking! What if I don't have anymore ideas for this story? Then I'll have to stop writing and you guys will start sending me death threats and I'll have to live as a hermit in fear of my life on the streets and...

Please give me some ideas! I need some feedback! :D

Anyways, thanks for being such awesome readers! You all rock my sox that I am conveniently wearing right now...Pants, however, are a different story...

See you in the next chapter!


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